WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
JUNE 12, 2021
TOPIC: YOU ARE GOD’S MOST PRECIOUS POSSESSION
BY T. O. BANSO
“After a period of glory, the LORD Almighty sent me against the nations who oppressed you. For he said, ‘Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession” (Zechariah 2:8 New Living Translation).
Every child of God is His most precious possession. Notwithstanding what he is going through, either as consequences of sins or mistakes or as part of the trials of faith, God cares for His children. This is important because, as a result of the negative experiences children of God pass through, some of them, sometimes, tend to doubt if God really cares for them.
Zechariah 1:21 talks about the four horns that scattered or oppressed Judah so that no one could lift up his head, but God sent four carpenters/smiths to terrify them. There are different interpretations of the four horns. Some believe that they were Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, and Medo-Persia. Others believe that they were Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome.
Yet, some Bible scholars believe that the four horns were Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. According to them, the four carpenters were Babylon, which destroyed Assyria, Medo-Persia, which overthrew Babylon, Greece which conquered Medo-Persia, and Rome, which defeated Greece.
However, it is also believed that the four horns signify the enemies of the church – east, west, north, and south. God shall destroy them. “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him” (Isaiah 59:19b New King James Version).
The prophet Zechariah said, “After a period of glory, the LORD Almighty sent me against the nations who oppressed you. For he said, ‘Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession” (Zechariah 2:8 New Living Translation).
The New King James Version renders the scripture thus: “For thus says the LORD of hosts: “He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.” You are God’s most treasured possession. In other words, you are the apple of His eyes.
In the words of the song that Moses spoke in the hearing of all the assembly of Israel, he said, among other things, “He found them in a desert land, in an empty, howling wasteland. He surrounded them and watched over them; he guarded them as his most precious possession” (Deuteronomy 32:10 New Living Translation). He was referring to the Israelites.
Again, the New King James Version renders precious possession as the apple of His eye. “He found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye.”
Everyone guards his eyes and won’t allow a friend to thrust something into it that can hurt him, not to talk of allowing an enemy to do that. Nobody will allow any particle to enter his eyes. David prayed in Psalm 17:8, “Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings” (New King James Version). “Keep me” in this scripture means “protect me.” The New Living Translation says, “Guard me as the apple of your eye. Hide me in the shadow of your wings.” God will protect or guard you as one does the apple of his eye.
Also, Proverbs 7:2 says, “Keep my commands and live, and my law as the apple of your eye” (New King James Version). Again, the New Living translation renders the verse thus: “Obey them and live! Guard my teachings as your most precious possession.”
As your eyes are dear to you and you protect them, God says His children are His most precious treasure, the apple of His eye and He will keep, guard, or protect them. .Aren’t you glad that you’re the apple of God’s eye, His most precious treasure? The troubles or challenges of life cannot devalue you before God.
Don’t forget that He created you in His own image (Genesis 1:27). Also, don’t forget that when Jesus died on the cross for your sins; He bought you with His precious blood. One of the ways to know how much you value something is the price you are willing to pay for it.
1 Peter 1:18-19 says that believers were not redeemed or bought with corruptible things, like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He bought you and the entire world from the slave market of sin with His blood. You are God’s most precious treasure. He cares for you.
The LORD continued in Zechariah 2: 9: “I will raise my fist to crush them, and their own slaves will plunder them.’ Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me” (New Living Translation). God would raise His hand in judgment against the nations that plundered Judah; the goods of these nations would be taken by those who were their servants. So shall the Lord fight your enemies. He will trouble those who trouble you.
The LORD might have allowed Judah to go into exile but He had not forgotten her. He would restore them to their homeland, and He did. He did not forsake them permanently. “And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8 New King James Version).
Your negative experiences don’t mean you have no value before God. You’re God’s most precious possession. He may discipline you, but He’ll never forsake you. He’ll plunder those who plunder you, fight those who fight you, bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you.
However, learn from the four horns or nations that plundered Judah. Don’t maltreat or oppress anyone, especially a fellow child of God. God won’t hold you guiltless. Saul of Tarsus persecuted believers, but Jesus told him he persecuted Him (Acts 9:5). Later, Paul explained that he did it in ignorance and unbelief (1 Timothy 1:13). Anything you do for the least of the children of God you do for God (Matthew 25:40).
Never forget that you’re God’s most precious possession. “For he who touches you touches the apple of His eye” (Zechariah 2:8b New King James Version). Don’t let your negative life experiences make you feel you are of no value. Your value is not determined by troubles or victories. If you’ve rebelled against God, repent now, ask for forgiveness and return to Him.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto you today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank you, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, thank You, for making me Your most precious possession and caring for me. Father, plunder those who plunder me, fight those who fight me, bless those who bless me, and curse those who curse me. Every horn against my life, family, ministry, business, or endeavour, send carpenters/smiths to destroy them. Father, send carpenters/smiths to break the horns against Your church.
(For over 600 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President, Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
