Just a number?

4 Mar 2017 • From the Vicar

Rev Margaret Sherwin

Uttoxeter Area Rector

Dear friends

How unimportant we all are. Who cares? We are a number, not a name to our bank. For some our former school headteacher knew us because we were the worst pupil! If you have been in the military you will be known by a military number, and your wife will use the last 3 digits and surname for her identity.

The amazing thing is that we do matter to the greatest one of all, to God. But how do we know that? Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:25-34 not to worry about your life, that we are more value than the birds who are provided for by our heavenly Father.

Also in Matthew 10:29-30: ‘are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground unperceived by your Father. And even the hairs on of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.’

I know we matter because we are all like the very ordinary people Jesus called and spent time with. The disciples, the glorious variety of people in the first half dozen chapters of John, for example Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman, the boy with loaves and fishes.

I am glad that I am ordinary – those are Jesus’ sort of people.!

The final and in some ways the most important reason for knowing that I matter to God, is because Jesus died for me ‘....the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me’ (Galatians 2:20), even if I was the worst. St Paul says ‘The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of which I am foremost.’

(1 Timothy 1:15).

The problem is - will we let ourselves matter?

This Lent ask God to help you believe in him and his Son who gave up his life that we might live, because we matter to him.

YOU MATTER TO GOD - DOES GOD MATTER TO YOU?

Blessings this Lent

Margaret