In a Class by Himself

If we sat down together and made a list of everything you considered valuable in your life: your family, your work, your goals, your possessions and then compared the value of each of those items with the value of God we’d find they all pale in significance.
There is no one and there is nothing as valuable as God.
Honestly, even to make a comparison like that isn’t fair because God is totally unique. You can’t compare the value of things or people to the value of God because they are not even in the same class.
God is so valuable, He’s in a class by Himself.
That’s why Scripture tells us, “There is no one like the Lord our God.” (Ex.8:10) That’s why Moses taught Israel to sing, “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?” (Ex.15:11) And that’s why God Himself says in Isaiah 46:5, “To whom then would you liken Me, and make me equal and compare Me, that we should be alike?”
The value of God far surpasses the value of anything else. It so far surpasses the value of anything else that you can’t even make a valid comparison between the two. To quote Piper, “The value of God is infinitely greater than the value of the sum of all created beings.” (Brothers We are Not Professionals, p.13)
Sometimes when we think of how valuable God is we imagine Him as standing at the head of a long line of other things and other people. At the back of the line are things that are least valuable, and the line proceeds all the way up to God who is most valuable.
That’s a start but the thing is, it’s not enough. God is not only preeminent, He is transcendent.
A.W. Tozer explains, “Forever God stands apart, in light unapproachable. He is as high above an archangel as above a caterpillar, for the gulf that separates the archangel from the caterpillar is but finite, while the gulf that between God and the archangel is infinite. The caterpillar and the archangel, though far removed from each other in the scale of created things are nevertheless one in that they are alike created. They both belong in the category of that-which-is-not God and are separated from God by infinitude itself.” (Knowledge of the Holy, p. 76)
We all know very well there are certain persons and certain things so important that it’s not optional to take them for granted. There are certain persons and certain things so valuable that it would be morally wrong to treat them as if they were cheap.
Imagine I take a hike with my three daughters. After a long, hard hike we come to the top of a mountain and are greeted by an absolutely stunning view. But as I am about to sit down and enjoy the scenery, I notice one of my girls is missing.
What would you think of me if I sat down and just stared at the scenery? “I’ll look for her later. Right now I just want to enjoy the view.”
You’d probably say I was evil, heartless and cold. You’d plead with me to get up and start to search.
But what if I argued with you? What if I said, “Look, this is beautiful scenery. I’m not going to be here for a while. I want to enjoy it. I’ve worked hard to get here. Give me a break. Why should I go and look for my daughter? Why is that so vital?”
You’d respond by asking, “What are you talking about? One of your girls is missing. The fact that she is your daughter ought to be reason enough. You should go looking for her because she is much more valuable than any old view.” (paraphrase of Tozer ill.)
Getting up and looking for my missing daughter shouldn't even be a question because she is my daughter. Anyone who would argue otherwise isn't just making a poor choice, they are twisted and perverted. The value of a person far outweighs the value of a view.
Likewise, God is far more valuable than anyone or anything in your life. The value of God far outweighs the value of anything else. Therefore to put anyone or any activity above God is not only foolish, it’s morally wrong, it’s perverted.
Pursuing God is not even a question, because He is God.
The prophet Jeremiah put it like this, “There is none like Thee, O Lord; Thou art very great, and great is Thy name in might. Who would not fear Thee, O King of the nations? Indeed it is Thy due. For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like Thee.” (Jeremiah 10:6,7)
There is one God. He is absolutely unique. He towers in importance and value above anyone or anything else. Our response to that great reality should be worship. We should fear God simply because He deserves to be feared. We should give everything we've got to knowing God better. That is His due.