Human being

Writer: 
Liisa Rossi
Translator: 
Maria Bavis

Other people often define our value according to our abilities, status, our finacial worth, looks, etc. You might feel that you are not good enough – especially when things in life do not go according to other’s expectations.

However, your true value and worth is not determined by any of the things mentioned above. No other human being has the right to define your worth. The only one who can do that is God who has created you. He did not create you for no reason, or by accident, but for a purpose and in love. The Bible tells us that God created man in His own image; people are the most precious creatures on this earth.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made by God to be His beloved child. You are unique, and no one can take your place in this world. You are important to Him – so much so that He gave His only Son to die on a cross so that your sins could be forgiven. You do not have to earn your worth. You are immeasurably precious to God as you are created, loved and saved by Him.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
(Psalm 139:14 ESV)

Dear God, help me to see myself through Your eyes
Writer: 
Liisa Rossi

The world is restless. Various expectations make us anxious and our mind is troubled. We long for inner peace and and seek it in many ways. But why can't we seem to find it?
 I have both bad and good news for you: peace cannot be found inside a person. No matter how much you focus on your inner self, you won't find peace there. You can calm yourself down in many ways, but this is only treating the symptoms and does not provide lasting inner peace. Even if all the external factors causing unrest disappeared, it would not bring true peace.

Inside man is an empty space the size of God. God created us to live with Him, and as long as we live apart from God, we live apart from the true purpose of our lives. Our sin broke the relationship between man and God. We are therefore like in a state of war against God. Fortunately, this war has been won by God. Jesus overcame it with his death on the cross and by his resurrection. By believing in Him, we get peace with God.

Jesus gives you the peace that lasts even when the world around you is in turmoil. When you live together with Jesus, you are safe in the care of almighty God. To help you with this, He has given e.g. The Bible, prayer alone and together, the Holy Communion, the fellowship of Christians in the congregation and, for example, good spiritual music.

”Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
(Joh. 14:27)

God, my soul is restless. Please, help me find peace in You.
Writer: 
Liisa Rossi
Translator: 
Maria Bavis

God loves you – yes, you. You might ask how you can know for sure. The answer is simple: God says so in the Bible. And His love is unconditional towards everyone – including you.

How, then, is God’s love shown? He doesn’t just say that He loves you but His actions reveal the same. When we think what God has done for us, we can see how great His love is.

In the beginning, the relationship between God and man was perfect – man never doubted God’s love then. But the Fall of Man changed everything and severed our relationship with God. Still, it never changed God’s love towards us. The love of our Heavenly Father was so great and so deep that He mended the situation. His love materialised 2,000 years ago when God’s only Son died on a cross. Jesus died, so that our sins wouldn’t separate us from God. Jesus died, so that you could have eternal life in Heaven and forever live surrounded by His love.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
(John 3:16 ESV)

Lord God, I pray that I could feel and believe Your love to be true in my life.
Writer: 
Ville Auvinen
Translator: 
Mikaela Römer

God has promised to hear all prayers that are said in the name of Jesus. Praying in the name of Jesus means that we believe in Jesus and therefore have a connection to God. We do not approach God trusting in anything of our own but trusting in the saving work of Jesus.

God hears all prayers, but that does not mean, that he would always answer as we expect. God is not a ”prayer-answering-machine” who fulfils all wishes, but a Father who knows the need of His children. He gives us that which is best for us in light of our eternity. Therefore he sometimes answers our prayers by denying our wishes. Sometimes He lets us wait and sometimes we might immediately acquire an affirming answer.

Of that we can be sure that when we ask for forgiveness for our sins and ask for salvation, He has an immeadiate affimative answer. We may read His answer from the Bible when He promises forgiveness for sins to those who confess their sins.

Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
(Matthew 7:9-11, ESV)

God, sometimes I wonder, whether you hear me or not. Thank you for hearing!