L'Oreal, world leader in beauty, cosmetics, and hair-care offers some great but costly products. To market their product they came up with a slogan: Because I'm worth it.

People who know such things calculate the worth of a human body (including twenty base elements along with skin) at a value of about $5. CNNMONEY.COM estimated ones worth in another sense. Calculated by age, if you're under the age of 25 your worth is $1,475 - if 25-34 you're worth $8,525... and so on. If you're 65 or older, hold onto your hat, CNNMONEY's number comes in at a whopping $232,000! Most grandma's and grandpa's are more subjective in their calculation when it comes to their little ones... I wouldn't trade you for all the tea in China my child!

What are we truly worth? We have flaws, foibles, and failings. We are impatient, lose our tempers, and generally are selfish, greedy, and prone to jealousy. What we lack in being thankful, we make up for it with frequent discontent. And then because we know what we truly deserve we cover over our blemishes to save face. As the saying goes, you can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig. We do not deserve God's mercy, love, or His forgiveness. We deserve to be separated from him and his goodness forever and are totally helpless to change our status. These are the facts and they are indisputable. So who could ever love such a lot? Our heavenly Father can and does - that's who! He loves and He invests His best on our behalf, despite our blemishes we are precious in His eyes.

While the world in which we live is always ready to trumpet the worth of man, especially when there's a dollar to be made, there is only one who is truly worth it. His name is Jesus. He has redeemed (us) lost and condemned persons, purchased and won us not with gold or silver but with His holy precious blood and His innocent suffering and death. How is it that we know this? Because He lives! Resurrected, ascended, seated at God's right hand, Jesus is worthy to receive all the acclimation and praise of heaven!

On that day we will join with the angels, elders, and living creatures in stunning and amazing celebration, with our own voices saying: Praise, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor, power and strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen!

Until that day, let us stay in His grace and care, and let us join in worship that we might: Honor Him and Glorify Him! He is worth it!!!

~ Pastor Kelly Mitteis