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!’ ” (5:12).
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!
By James Banks
REFLECT & PRAY
How does Jesus’ death and resurrection prove He’s greater than any circumstance you face? In what ways will you tell Him He’s worthy today?
You are always worthy to be worshiped, Jesus! Please help me to live today in Your presence with a grateful heart.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Revelation, the last book of the Bible, alludes repeatedly to the misunderstood nature and ways of the King of kings. Almost thirty times in 5:6–22:3 “the revelation from Jesus Christ” (1:1) refers to the conquering “Lion of the tribe of Judah” (5:5) as “the Lamb” who has been slaughtered to take away the sin of the world (v. 6; see Isaiah 53:7–8; John 1:29). Jesus alone is portrayed as worthy to open the book of the future because He was slain (Revelation 4:1; 5:2–3, 9–10). He allowed the full force of evil to fall on Him to expose and conquer the lies of the serpent (12:9–10). Just as the Lamb of God was eternally destined to be misunderstood in self-sacrifice (Isaiah 53:4–6), those suffering the inevitable judgment and consequences of satanic rebellion will blame their fate on a God whose heart they still don’t understand (Revelation 6:16–17; Job 1–2).
Mart DeHann
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