Daily Devotions
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
The salvation story of Jesus Christ reaches around the world. So that the readers of our Daily Devotion may see the power of the Savior on a global scale, we have asked the volunteers of our International Ministry Centers to write our Friday devotions. We pray that the Spirit may touch your day through their words.
In Christ, I remain, His servant and yours,
Kenneth R. Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
“Society is in crisis.”
This oft-heard remark seems fashionable today. In reality, it is a genuine problem, and it should be no surprise that the pains of a society searching for direction affects everyone, including young and old, singles and marrieds, families and empty-nesters.
“Society is in crisis.”
Although a changing society is not new, it does seem to be more noticeable. Today we recognize that society, families and individuals have always been in a state of crisis, and it is a normal state of affairs for there to be constant tension between the past, present and future.
“Society is in crisis.”
Understand, crises are not necessarily bad.
• They can also help us realize what we have and what we would like to have.
• They can force us to reflect more and encourage us to improve ourselves on a regular basis.
• They ought to make us realize we are not as powerful as we would like to think, and help us and make us realize that God, our Creator, is everything and is above everything we can comprehend.
When the Lord is active in our lives, a crisis can force us to acknowledge our shortcomings, our egotism, our powerful attitudes and our lack of ideals and cooperativeness. Indeed, by God’s grace we can learn to deal with our crises.
How?
By knowing that our first and foremost purpose in life is to be faithful children of God. When we do that, we will find our crisis has a solution which stems from our spiritual relationship with our Heavenly Father.
Part of that means the Lord will pardon our arrogant attitudes when we sin and, at the same time, we can receive the ability to use the talents He has given us to help each other and ourselves.
Before too long we find we have a new basis for a relationship with those who are around us.
And then … and then we know that crisis has taught us to trust in the Lord.
THE PRAYER: God, sometimes the crises of life overburden me and leave me feeling helpless. At such times help me to see Jesus. Help me see Him as my Savior, my salvation, my hope and solution. Through Your power and the Holy Spirit’s guidance give me the strength to face life and deal with life’s crises. Enlighten my mind and heart so I may find ongoing confidence in Your path. This I ask in my Savior’s Name. Amen.
Biography of Author: Today’s international devotion was written by Porfirio Franco, who has been a Lutheran Hour Ministries’ collaborator in Panama since 1996. He coordinates the drug use and abuse program from a Christian perspective in public and private schools. Operating out of Panama City, Lutheran Hour Ministries-Panama has been effective in using printed resources and mass media to share the Gospel in this Central American country of nearly 3.5 million people.
To learn more about our International Ministries, click here or visit www.lhmint.org.