God values us as well. But why?
Does God get something from us that he needs? No. God needs nothing.
"The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything" - the apostle Paul - Acts 17:24-25
Everything that is, comes from Him.
God doesn't need anything because he has everything He needs within the community of perfect love between the Father and Son in, by, and through the Spirit. Everything else that is, flows out of God and all His fullness, i.e. who He is - a fullness so great that God simply spoke everything else that is into existence. He is the only being who can say, "I AM!"
So why then does He value us?
It is because we are in his image - i.e. like Him. But how or why does this matter?
By virtue of our being like Him we can give Him something he wants (desires) and enjoys. It is through Christ first (the Son of man and God) and now us, that he reveals Himself to others, that he might also bring others into the divine dance of love and joy within and among the community of Father and Son and Spirit. In short, He wants others (you and I) to experience Him, for our sake, and to share this with those like Him, i.e. other image-bearers, so they may also partake of Him, i.e. for ¹their sake.
Wanting something is not necessarily selfish. We can desire and find joy in someone else's gain solely for the benefit it brings to them.
By virtue of our being like Him we can give Him something he wants (desires) and enjoys. It is through Christ first (the Son of man and God) and now us, that he reveals Himself to others, that he might also bring others into the divine dance of love and joy within and among the community of Father and Son and Spirit. In short, He wants others (you and I) to experience Him, for our sake, and to share this with those like Him, i.e. other image-bearers, so they may also partake of Him, i.e. for ¹their sake.
Wanting something is not necessarily selfish. We can desire and find joy in someone else's gain solely for the benefit it brings to them.
The reason we are this way is that this is the way God is - we are like him.
We can also relate to this because we know what it feels like to want the best for our children. We want this solely for their sake, not ours, simply because they are our kids; they come from us, not completely unlike the way we come from God, i.e. we are his offspring; bearers of His image.
Some other links that touch on different aspects of God valuing us:
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Footnote:
¹Though we gain joy from others benefitting by our care and love, the joy is in knowing they benefitted i.e. we don't do it for our joy, but theirs. It just so happens we also get joy in this because we are like God, who receives joy in bringing joy to others.
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Grace to you
Jim Deal