You were redeemed from the empty way of life . . . with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

— 1 Peter 1:18-19

Jesus’ death on the cross for us was the world’s greatest ransom mission. And this ransom was not paid to the devil, but to God himself. The Lord provided his own substitutionary sacrifice so that we could be delivered from our slavery to sin and its inevitable outcome: death. God redeemed us not by gold or silver (precious metals) or even by the most valuable currency. He redeemed us by the precious blood of Christ, the spotless and unblemished Lamb.

The Son of God gave up every­thing to redeem us. He gave himself completely. And the gift of the Son as the spotless Lamb was not a last-minute decision. As the apostle Peter put it, “He was chosen from before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.”

Not all the gold on earth would be enough to redeem a single person. But God paid the highest price, the price of the blood of his only Son, Jesus Christ. Therefore, you are highly ­valued by God. He has invested everything to save you, that you may have full and abundant life with him forever.

O God, only through the gift of Christ can I see my worth, for in his finished work your unconditional love for me is revealed. I praise you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.