The Ballestero Blog

The Desire To Be Cherished

“They do not love that do not show their love.” – Shakespeare

It’s A Basic Life Need

Cherish – Definition:

1. To hold Dear:
2. To Cultivate with Care and Affection
3. To Nurture
4. To Treasure, Prize, Value
5. To Feel And Show Affection For

Babies Desire To Be Cherished And Held.

They cry often for their Mama’s touch. Children run to her to be comforted.

When Babies Are Not Cherished:

I read a few years ago about Romanian orphans who were given only the basic nourishment and hygiene. Soon the babies became withdrawn and unresponsive. They may be forever emotionally damaged… much like adults who are not cherished. They will almost always exhibit emotional problems and act out.

All Children Desire to Be Cherished.

Every child remembers if they were loved. Everyone remembers how their parents treated him or her when they were young. Not being cherished is something most difficult to survive.

Little Kids Ask Their Parents.

Am I your favorite? Who do you love the most? How much do you love me? They are putting out feelers attempting to assure themselves that they are cherished.

Teenagers Desire To Be Cherished.

They dream about it. They sing about it. They listen to music about it. They want to be loved. They want someone to cherish them. To complicate the matter, their hormones rage out of control during the process.

Some girls never feel cherished by their father, so they seek elsewhere for male approval. They never felt cherished at home, so they look for someone to validate and approve of them. They want to be cherished.

Sadly, the title of the song: “Looking for Love In All The Wrong Places,” has more truth than fiction.

During Courtship Both Parties Practice Cherishing The Other Person.

• They say sweet things.
• They do sweet things.
• Treat each other with tenderness.
• The boy courts the girl and brings flowers and candy.
• They overlook each other’s imperfections.

My Father-In-Law, the late William R. Starr, gave me some wise insight before I even asked his daughter out on a first date. He said, “Men love with their eyes, but Women love with their ears.”

Dad Starr was telling me in man-talk, that a woman wants to hear that she was cherished! He was a very wise man.

All Husbands And Wives Desire To Be Cherished

Every woman wants to know she’s #1. So does every man. When you hold your wife in your arms and tell her that you love her, she wants to feel your words coming from your heart, and not just your mouth.

If you are a wise man, you will NEVER stop courting your wife and affirming your love for her and expressing it often. The words, “I love you!” have a very short shelf life. You need to say it everyday.

Flowers, cards, candy, dates and accomplishing ‘honey-do-lists’ with a smile, sure helps keep life wonderful at home.

Every Prospective Groom Says, “Will You Marry Me?”… Hoping he will be cherished and loved.

Every Prospective Bride Says, “Yes”… Hoping she will be cherished and loved.

To The Wife:

Don’t settle for less than being cherished. Likewise, cherish him. It’s a two-way street.

To The Husband:

Sir, you are to love your wife As Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it. You won’t easily give your life for someone you don’t cherish. The Lord meant for the husband to cherish his wife with his very own life. It’s really not hard.

Jacob Cherished Rachel.

He worked seven years to get her as his wife, and was given the wrong one. The Bible just says: “It seemed but a few days, for the love he had for her.”

David Never Cherished Michal

He always referred her to as “Saul’s Daughter.” He never said that he loved her. He never referred to her as his wife. That may be a reason why she acted out so badly.

Proverbs 31 Wife

Proverbs 31:28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

“He Praiseth Her”: The word praiseth here is – Halal

HALAL – haw-lal’;

1. To shine; hence
2. To make a show, (let every one know)
3. To be (clamorously) foolish; (enjoy with enthusiasm)
4. To rave; (to go on and on with excited appreciation)
5. To boast, (brag in public)
6. To celebrate, (honor every achievement)
7. To foolishly glory, (go overboard in expressing praise)
8. To sing, (to express your emotion as deeply as possible, sing His praises.)
9. To praise, (to say every nice thing you can)
10. To rage, (to be wild about)

When joined with abbreviated form of God’s name “Yahweh” = Hallelujah. That’s where the word Hallelujah comes from. (Saying Hallelujah like saying 10,000 praises to Jehovah)

When a man goes to this extent, of ‘Halal-ing” his wife, she will feel cherished and will perform unbelievable things for her home and family because she knows she has the backing of the man she loves.

In like manner, when the same man goes to this extent to Halal The Lord Jesus… there is no telling what the Lord will do for him.

Not Everyone Has Been Cherished In Life, But There Is Great News!

God Cherishes His People.

They Are The Apple of His Eye

Zech. 2:8   For thus saith the LORD of hosts… he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.

• (Warning: Don’t mess with any one the Lord cherishes!)

God Protected Israel In Goshen

• Egyptian Dogs wouldn’t bark against the Israelites.
• No Plagues came nigh them.

God Protected Israel In The Wilderness

• Provided in wilderness.
• No sickness.
• No one’s clothes wore out.

God’s Desire To Be Cherished By Man

Yes, you say you love the Lord, but do you cherish him? Jesus wants to know for sure that you cherish Him before He can use you.

Jesus to Peter

John 21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

John 21:16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

John 21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

David

Psalm 137:5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.

Psalm 137:6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

He was saying he loved God’s house more than anything in the world. David also said, “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

He cherished the things of God! God said that David was a man after His own heart. Was David perfect? Oh no. He was a long ways away from perfect. But the way he cherished everything about God, made God smile upon him.

The Jealousy of God – Is Another Way Of Saying He Just Wants To Be Cherished.

2 Timothy 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

God Desires Man To Cherish Him

Matthew 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

The Lord knows the difference between lip service and heartfelt expressions of love.

1. Men that cherish God – Worship
2. Men that cherish God – Come to His House

My Visit To See Marcia In 1965

Before our engagement, in the early stages of our courtship, I once closed a revival service on Sunday night in Fort Worth, TX and drove 24 hours straight through to Albion, MI… just to see a little Miss Marcia June Starr for one hour. I arrived after 10:30pm, left before midnight and drove two hours back to my home in South Bend, IN. It’s never a sacrifice to see the one you love.

You’re Not Faithful To God’s House?

Don’t tell me you cherish God and you can’t make it to church. You don’t cherish Him if you layout of church! It’s never a sacrifice to see the one you love.

Like David, we should all say, “I was glad when they said unto me let us go unto the house of the Lord.”

Jacob Cherished The Birth Right 

Jacob had major character flaws I’m sure. But he cherished the same Birthright that Esau despised, so God chose to love Jacob and discard Esau.

God cherished Jacob and said, ‘Jacob Have I loved, and Esau have I hated.’

Make God love you too by cherishing those things, which are Godly and eternal.

Don’t Tell Me You Cherish The Lord Jesus…

1. If You Don’t Pay Tithes.
2. If You Hate Holiness.
3. If You Aren’t Faithful To His House.
4. If You Don’t Pray.
5. If You Don’t Worship.
6. If You Bring Disunity To His Church.
7. If You Rebel Against His Word.

1. Sing Like You Cherish Him.
2. Pray Like You Cherish Him.
3. Talk Like You Cherish Him.
4. Dress Like You Cherish Him.

God is Jealous Of What You Cherish.

Amp Bible 1 John 2:15 Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.

You Don’t Cherish The Lord If…

• If Someone Has To Beg You To Come To Church
• If Someone Has To Beg You To Worship
• If Someone Has To Beg You To Pray

Think about the words the next time you sing: “So, I’ll Cherish The Old Rugged Cross”

The Old Rugged Cross

George Bennard 1913

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,

   The emblem of suff’ring and shame;

   And I love that old cross where the dearest and best

   For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,

       Till my trophies at last I lay down;

       I will cling to the old rugged cross,

       And exchange it some day for a crown.

Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,

   Has a wondrous attraction for me;

   For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above

   To bear it to dark Calvary.

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,

   A wondrous beauty I see,

   For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,

   To pardon and sanctify me.

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;

   Its shame and reproach gladly bear;

   Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,

   Where His glory forever I’ll share.

The Lord Cherished Us Even In Our Sins.

John 3:16    For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

We love Him because He first loved us!

Here’s Your Homework For Today:

Tell Jesus that you love Him! Tell Him from your heart that you love Him. Yes, this very moment… say, “Jesus, I love you with all my heart!” Put your heart into it. He can tell.

Next, go tell your spouse and your family that you love them. Put your heart into it. They can tell.