Recently I have been reading about life goals, purpose, and how to focus and refine smaller goals to fit the bigger picture. How to purge the distractions. I came up with my big picture life goal focus of communicating how we are cherished by God for my writing vocation, and cherishing my family and friends in tangible expressions.

I love the word, cherish. To me it expresses more than love. Some of the definitions are: to hold dear, to treasure, to embrace with interest, and to protect and aid.

As Christians, we learn about agape love, also called unconditional love. We are told that this is how God loves us. It is not dependent on our actions. As a mother, I love my children unconditionally, but there have been times when I didn’t like what they were doing. I didn’t feel loving.

In comparison, cherishing goes a step further into my emotions. It expresses a sense of value, approval, support, worthiness, want, and gratitude. If cherish had a mouth-feel, it would be fat and round. When I feel cherished, I feel warm and cozy, wrapped in a blanket of peace, and I feel strong and secure, ready to face whatever life throws my way.

If you felt cherished by your spouse, or your mom, or your friend, how could you not be a better version of yourself? Don’t you think?

If cherish had a book in the Bible it would be The Song of Songs. This book has dual meaning. It speaks of love between a man and a woman, but it also communicates the love of the bridegroom, Jesus, for the bride, us.

O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the crannies of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.

Song of Solomon 2:14 (ESV)

Do you feel cherished by God, yet?

Every single moment you are thinking of me! How precious and wonderful to consider that you cherish me constantly in your every thought! O God, your desires toward me are more than the grains of sand on every shore! When I awake each morning, you’re still with me.

Psalm 139:17-18 (TPT)

How about now?

I think God not only loves us because he has to since he’s our dad, I think he delights in us and cherishes us. Not just wanting us to know we are loved, but to feel it, too. To act in it, to dance in it, and to sing in it. Because when we do, we can pull others into the dance, and smiles will beam from our faces. That is what it’s like to be cherished.

Grace & Peace,

Sandy

Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay