Possession

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession,”  I Peter 2:9 

Possession – Although the Greek word peripoiesin can be translated by the English expressions “to save or preserve for oneself”, “to acquire or get possession of”, or “to gain”, all of these miss part of the important background of this word.  Behind the New Testament usage is the Old Testament idea that God’s chosen people are not merely His possession but are His rich treasure.  The Old Testament context paints a picture of the treasure of a king, a possession of great value and importance.  To this context, the New Testament adds the picture of Christ’s purchase price.  God placed so much value on His chosen people that His only Son was willing to die to redeem them. 

We often overlook this fact.  So many times our old ways of living robbed us of any self worth.  We believed that we were not valuable to anyone – ourselves, others or God.  But this verse shouts out just the opposite.  It proclaims God’s stamp of approval on our being.  It says that God holds us in such high esteem that we are like a vast treasure to Him, so precious that He was willing to go to unbelievable lengths to bring us back to His kingdom.  Knowing that God chose us for His own special treasure gives us a sure foundation for hope in ourselves as His children.  We have been called out of darkness because He thinks we are wonderful. 

Several months ago I lost all my monetary treasure in a theft.  I wasn’t the only one who was robbed.  Millions of dollars were stolen.  The day it happened, I was reeling.  How would I survive?  A friend of mine said to me, “God owns everything.  Two cents or two million, it’s the same to Him.  You are far more valuable to Him than all that money”.  I need to remember that.  God owns it all.  And I was so valuable to Him that He risked it all just to have me back.