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What is Jesus worth?

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A missionary to Somali on her experience, "...What we were unprepared for was for our friends and colleagues on the field to die; some young, some talented, and all somehow more valuable to the kingdom than ourselves.  We ask ourselves why.  Why them, and not us?  Martin, Sheikdon, Christine, Colin, Libaan, Farah--all died for their faith.  All died violently.  When our dear friend, Martin Utzi, was questioned about the safety of taking his wife and young children to Somaliland, he answered, 'If what we are doing is not worth dying for, then it is not worth living for."  Only a short time later, as his 3-year old son looked on, sweet, gentle Martin died from a gunshot to the head.  Our friends won't have biographies written about them.  Few people know of their sacrifice.  Yet, in dying, they show us how to live."  Mary Wallace, Live Dead

People often ask me if I feel scared about moving abroad.  And truthfully I do.  I do not fear for myself, but I do fear for Josiah, Elizabeth, and our unborn child.  Part of this is pride.  God is my father.  God is the father of my family.  He has allowed me to be the dad of Josiah on earth, and the husband of Elizabeth.  But they are God's.  I believe God loves them and will take care of them, in this world and the next.  And He will do a better job than I could ever do. 

But mostly, I do not fear.  I believe the Good News is really good.  I believe it is worth dying for.  I believe it is worth being tortured for.  Jesus Christ is worth all that I have and much more.  He has given Himself to me.  I want nothing more to share Him, so that others might know His love and peace.  So in short, Jesus Christ died for me and saved my soul from Hell.  He has given me joy unspeakable.  If we go and are martyred, we have done nothing extravagant.  In fact, all we could say is what scripture says, "'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty'" Luke 17:10.


"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord," Romans 8:38-39.


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