The Soul Felt it's Worth

“Long lay the world in sin and error pining,

Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth”

Christmas season is upon us (just passed yesterday), and I need to get this thought down in tangible form before the Christmas carols are no longer playing on repeat.

Have you ever stopped to pull apart the lyrics to some of the Christmas songs that we have sang over and over?

This year for me it was *Oh Holy Night* (Dad’s favorite Christmas song, so it always resonates a little deeper than others), but never have I seen this — or even stopped long enough to allow these words to penetrate:

**“The soul felt its worth.”**

It does not say that all of a sudden the souls became worthy.

No — that was already true.

What happened when He appeared was that the soul *felt* its worth — **when HE appeared**.

“Long lay the world in sin and error pining” — brokenness, confusion, wandering, searching, pining (aching for something lost or missing — worth?).

Really, is that what we have been aching for all of these years?

Finding our worth?

Salvation — a restoration of worth, not *just* forgiveness of sins.

Why is this so hard to believe?

Forgiveness of sins is what most of us accepted when we were saved, and then we spend the rest of our lives trying to be “worthy” of that salvation.

When HE appeared, on that night, in that manger, when no one was there to see or hear or notice, HIS appearing validated our WORTH.

The almighty GOD deemed US — you and me — worthy of the ultimate sacrifice.

Our worth is not something to be earned.

In fact, it cannot be.

The appearance of CHRIST restores identity and value.

You are already worthy.

Stop doing.

Stop striving.

Stop trying to achieve worthiness.

**RECEIVE** the gift of value.

Receive the gift of identity.

Just as you receive the gift of salvation and forgiveness of sins.

In your striving and your “trying,” you have pushed away the gift of identity — the gift of knowing, believing, and receiving your WORTH.

Through this cancer journey, I literally have been waited on hand and foot — with meals, childcare, house cleaning, laundry. Anything I needed, asked for, wanted — it came.

And to the many, many friends that have asked, “What can I do for you? Anything… just say the word. I’ll even come wash your windows” — this truth has penetrated, or is in the process of penetrating, my being.

Where I do not *feel* worthy of this.

Indeed, I am.

And if one of the greatest lessons that emerges from this journey is the ability to receive, then **SO BE IT**.

Receive from people.

Receive from the LORD.

Where I do not feel, I choose to believe.

And then, as the song so beautifully states, **“the soul FELT its worth.”**

We are not left hanging — we even get the privilege of *feeling worthy* because of **His appearing**.

Where I do not wish this journey on anyone, I *do* wish this revelation upon everyone:

**Receive. For indeed, you are worthy.**

So today — YES — with gratitude, receiving ALL that HE paid for.

**I choose to believe this truth.**

Love, Erin