Five reasons you are awesome

It seems most mainstream web articles are written in list format these days.  Here are a few real headlines I found on the MSN homepage on the same day (3/14/17): “10 Secrets to Perfect Homemade Pizza”; “7 Reasons Your Pee Smells Weird”; “43 Truly Extraordinary Uses for Household Staples You Already Own”.  Y’all, I didn’t make these up.  And, there were several more like these on the page.
 
People like lists.  So, I’m going to give you the best list you will read today:  Five Reasons YOU Are Awesome!  Are you ready?

1.)   YOU were created in the image of God.

 Genesis 1:26 and 1:27 says, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

You are awesome because you are modeled after the likeness of the Creator of the universe.  Not only did God make us in His image, he gave us authority over and responsibility for the earth. 
 
2.)   YOU are a work of art!

When God was finished sculpting the earth and everything in it, including humankind, we know what He thought of His creation. Genesis 1:31 says, “And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.”  It was very good.  People are inherently good creations.  YOU are very good.

Psalm 139:14 says, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”  Marvelous are His works! 

There’s a saying, attributed to the late singer Ethel Waters, “I am somebody ‘cause God don’t make no junk!”  While not grammatically correct, the statement is profoundly wise.  We can be assured of our awesomeness, because our Creator is perfect.
 
3.)   YOU were born for a purpose!

The scriptures indicate in multiple places that God gives people specific missions in life.  There’s a reason you are here, even if you never fully figure out what it is.

God told the prophet Jeremiah, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”  (Jeremiah 1:5)   Likewise, the apostle Paul says in Galatians 1:15, “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace….”  Paul had a job to do for the Lord, long before he knew about it.

Rest in the fact that He did not place you on earth “just because”.  You have a purpose.
 
4.)   Jesus Died For YOU.

If you ever doubt your value, just remember that Christ paid the highest price to save you.  You are so valuable, He gave His own life for you.

Romans 5:8 says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Perhaps the most famous verse in scripture also speaks of God’s love and Christ’s sacrifice:  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
 
5.)   IF you have accepted Jesus as your savior, YOU have the Spirit of God living in you.
 
This one is of course conditional, but if you are part of the family of God, you have the gift of His Spirit.  The Holy Spirit lives in all believers, and as Galatians 5:22 and 5:23 teaches, He produces fruit such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control in our lives.  In today’s world especially, those are super powers!  And they really are super, because they come from a supernatural source.

The Holy Spirit also teaches you (John 14:26) and helps you witness to others (Matthew 10:20).

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I'm sure there are many, many more reasons that you are awesome, but these are the five I wanted to talk about in this blog post.  ​

​Now that we are feeling really good about ourselves, let’s put this into perspective.  You are awesome.  But, you are nothing without Him.  John (the Baptizer) said “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30).  Hold your head high today, and know how valuable you are in Him, but remember to give Him glory for your awesomeness.