You are Precious to God (John 3:16; Romans 1:3; 12:10; 2 Timothy 3:3; 1 John 2:15)

John 3:16, a scripture that most Believers know by heart, says, ''For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son...''

LOVE

The word used here for love, is the Greek word ''agape'', a word commonly referred to as ''the God-kind of love''. This definition, however, misses some of the basic meaning of the word, and how it applies to the scripture quoted, and our lives. There are four basic words for ''love'' in the Greek language, and all of them express ''love'' in a different way.

PASSION

''Eros'' is a love of passion, often expressed in a physical love, and where we get our English word ''erotic''. This is not necessarily a bad expression of love, but it is limited to the physical. This word is not found in the New Testament.

PART OF THE FAMILY (Natural Affection)

''Storge'' is a love where there is ''natural affection'' because you are related by blood. There is a certain identity by being part of the family, whether one's immediate family, or cousins, etc. This is the natural love that parents have for their children, because they are ''part of'' them. This word is only used twice in the NT, in the negative, to describe those who don't have this ''natural affection'', that every person should possess. (Rm, 1:3; 2Tim.3:3) and in a compound with (phileo), to describe a natural devotion or affection that Believers should have for one another, [because we are part of the same family]. (Rm.12:10).

PLEASURE

''Phileo'' is a love that finds pleasure in something or someone. This love is the basis of all human relationships, in that it identifies in others something in common, that gives pleasure to a person, and attracts a person to something or someone. Next to ''agape'', this is the most common word for love in the Bible. It is identified by what gives you pleasure, or what is pleasurable to you.

PRECIOUS

''Agape'' is the love that values, and sees someone as precious, or valuable. It is not generally, ''the God-kind'' of love, because it is used to describe those who ''love'' the world, rather than ''loving'' God. (1 John 2:15). [ In it's various forms, it is used about 320 times in the NT, and is almost non-existent outside of scripture].

RESPOND

The first three words for love, all RESPOND to someone or something, ''emotionally'', whether physically (eros), or an emotional response of attachment, because you are in the family (storge), or because someone or something is pleasurable to you, (phileo).

CHOOSES

"Agape'', because it sees value or worth, in something or someone, as more precious than anything else, prizes that object above all else, and does not ''respond'', but CHOOSES to embrace the object at all costs, without doing anything to the detriment of that which it so highly values. [The other ''loves'' REACT, toward something or someone, this love ACTS, towards something or someone].

This is the love that gives it's life savings, in an act or worship, to anoint the King before His death (Matt.26:6-13; Mk.14:3-9; Jn.12:1-8), because He is more precious than all that you possess. This is the love that gave all to obtain hidden treasure in a field and a pearl of great price (Matt.13:44-46).

We are the treasure, and we are the pearl, and ''..God so loved..'' us, seeing us as more valuable and more precious than all He possessed, that He gave His only Son, for what was worth more than anything else to Him.

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours.