Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?" I said to him, "Sir, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." Revelation 7:13-14

What is a thing worth? Sometimes figuring out the worth of a thing can be a difficult task.

There are things which bring back memories; there are things which are heirlooms or antiques; there are things which are personally precious to us as individuals. The value on those items is far more to us than anyone else would be willing to pay if the item were put up for auction.

Here is an example: there is a little piece of silk in a Springfield, Illinois, museum. If you were to go to a fabric store, and if they would be willing to sell you a piece of cloth so small, it would cost you no more than a penny or two. That being said, there is no amount of money which would enable you to purchase this piece of silk. That's because this bit of cloth is stained with blood.

Now that is an interesting fact, but that fact hardly explains why this bit of material is considered to be so precious. Its value only becomes clear when you are told this bit of silk was once part of the dress worn by the girl who sat in the presidential box the night Abraham Lincoln was murdered. As he was dying, she cradled his head in her lap, just as a mother might hold her child.

It is his blood which has stained that cloth.

Long ago the State of Illinois bought that dress, cut out that piece of silk, and placed it out for public viewing so all could see. Because of the blood of a great man, that pitiful piece of fabric has a value beyond reckoning.

So, let me now ask you, what are you worth?

Looking at your sinful soul, at all the transgressions you have committed, the answer would have to be, "Not much. Not much at all." But when a person is brought to faith, when those sins are washed away by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, things change.

Your soul, which once was condemned to eternal punishment in hell, has been given new value, a wonderful value. At the cost of the life of God's Son, our Savior, you have been washed of your sins; the old is gone and a new value is placed upon you.

Knowing your value ought to make a difference in your life. Because you know that Jesus lived, died and rose to rescue you, you can be assured that nothing in your past and nothing anybody else says can change the value God has given you. Because of Jesus' blood, you have become priceless.

My priceless friends, believe it and live it.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks that by the Holy Spirit's power, I have been brought to faith and my sin-saturated soul has been washed in Jesus' blood. Now may I live a life which glorifies Him and bears witness to the transforming power of the Redeemer. It is in His Name I pray. Amen.

All too often the job of reaching others is left to others. That can be unfortunate. After all, there are times when YOU may be the best person to reach someone who is lost or wandering. If you have always wanted to know how to do such a sharing of the Savior, you may want to attend Lutheran Hour Ministries' SENT Outreach Conference, which is July 24-27 in Detroit. For more information, visit www.lhm.org/conference.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: 1 Kings 19-20    Acts 13:26-52

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