What Does God Value?

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God’s Word is a deep reservoir of spiritual nourishment. Spend time with the Lord today. Talk to Him of all that you are concerned about. Don’t waste any day! Learn of Him and lean on Him!

God continues to tell me that His focus is the process which is defined as the ‘as we go’, or the ‘journey’, or the ‘day in and day out’ or the ‘daily living’. At the same time, my focus seems to always be the end which is the ‘final destiny’ or ‘the job’ or ‘the position’ or ‘the date’ or ‘the opening’. Guess who needs to shift their focus? God is enjoying the process because in this uncertainty we draw near to Him. I believe God’s favorite tool is a cloud. Recently I was reading from Oswald Chamber’s book, Still Higher For His Highest, these words, “…spiritual insanity must result if we push down barriers before our spiritual progress is ready for the revelation. Men will not wait for the slow, steady, majestic way of the Son of God; they try to enter in by this door and that door. The barriers are placed by a Holy God, and He has told us clearly, ‘Not that way.’ God grant we may accept His clouds and mysteries, and be led into His secrets by obedient trust.” Remember, the walk is a walk of faith not of sight. Our biggest opportunity to please God is when we are in the thick cloud and we choose to trust Him even when we can’t see anything ahead.

Part of the problem is that we don’t seem to value the same thing that God values. Let’s face it…most of us feel that most of our problems would be solved if we were financially secure. I recently did a word search looking for all the things that God values more than gold. I found seven things. So…what does God value more than gold?

  1. God values wisdom which is defined as “seeing and responding to life’s situations from God’s frame of reference” Proverbs 3:13-15 reads, “Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding; [14] For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold. [15] She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.”
  2. God values understanding. Proverbs 3:13 says, “ Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding”.
  3. God values knowledge. Proverbs 8:9-10 reads, “They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. [10] Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.

Those with knowledge are able to collect, remember, and access information. They “know” the Scriptures. God’s word is literally “in them”. But, it is possible to have knowledge and lack understanding and wisdom; to have the facts, but have no clue as to the meaning or what to do next.

Those with understanding are able to abstract the meaning out of information. They “see through” the facts to the dynamics of what, how, and why. They are teachers. Understanding is a lens which brings the facts into crisp focus. Understanding produces “rules of thumb” or principles.

Those with wisdom know which principle to apply now. Understanding without wisdom can appear contradictory (Proverbs 26:4-5). For example, “He who hesitates is lost”, is a valid principle as well as: “Haste makes waste”. We see the truth of both. But which should we apply next? Those with wisdom know what to do next; they know which way to go. They do the right thing. In contrast, there are many who have great knowledge and understanding, but consistently do the wrong thing. Wisdom, in this sense, is the goal, and knowledge and understanding only have eternal value as they result in wisdom, or what we end up doing.

James 1:5 (NIV) If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. !

  1. God values His Word. Psalm 19:10 reads, “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”
  2. God values a good name. Proverbs 22:1 reads, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.”
  3. God values you and me more than gold. Isaiah 13:12 reads, “I will make a man more precious than fine gold.” This is where my self-worth comes from…God values me…wow!
  4. God values the perfecting of my faith more than gold. 1 Peter 1:7 reads, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”

When we cry out for God to hurry up and let’s get to the end of this test or trial, God just sits there and takes His sweet time. Why? It is because His values are different…they are perfect just as He is. God values the process more than we do. For it is in the process, that wisdom, knowledge, and understanding are developed. It is in the process that our faith is perfected. “If I can stay calm, faithful, and unconfused while in the middle of the turmoil of life, the goal of the purpose of God is being accomplished in me. God is not working toward a particular finish–His purpose is the process itself.” Oswald Chambers

So…put down the crowbar and quit trying to force the door open. Let the process happen…wait on God…and at a point in time, the same thing will happen for you that happened to Peter who had an iron gate that stood between him and freedom: Acts 12:10 reads, “…they came unto the iron gate that leads unto the city; which opened to them of its own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street…” At the right time, God made the iron gate to open by itself! Mark 5:36 says, “Be not afraid, only believe.”

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