Worth It, or Worthy?

Hey, welcome to another daily encouragement from your friends at Our Daily Bread. The devotional reading for today was written by James Banks, and he titled it, Worth It or Worthy? Helen Roseveare, an English missionary physician in the African Congo, was taken prisoner by rebels during the Simba Rebellion in 1964. Beaten and abused by her captors, she suffered terribly. In the days that followed, she found herself asking, is it worth it? As she began to ponder the cost of following Jesus, she sensed God speaking to her about it. Years later, she explained to an interviewer, when the awful moments came during the rebellion and the price seemed too high to pay, the Lord seemed to say to me, change the question.

It's not, is it worth it? It's, am I worthy? She concluded that in spite of the pain she had endured, always the answer is yes, he is worthy. Through God's grace at work within her during her harrowing ordeal, Helen Roseveare decided that the Savior who had suffered even death for her was worthy to be followed no matter what she faced. Her words, he is worthy, echo the cries of those surrounding Jesus' throne in the Book of Revelation. In a loud voice they were saying, worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise. Our Savior suffered and bled and died for us, giving himself entirely so that we may freely receive eternal life and hope. His all deserves our all.

He is worthy. Now hear the hope of God's word. Today's scripture reading is taken from Revelation chapter 5 verses 6 through 12. Then I saw a lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense which are the prayers of God's people. And they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand.

They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying, Worthy is the lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise. Now let's pray. Dear Jesus, thank you for enduring such pain and suffering for us. When we face excruciating circumstances because of you, would you remind us of what you endured on our behalf and that you are worth it and you are worthy? Your all deserves our all and that is what we want to give. It is in your gracious name that we pray, Amen.