Daily Devotions
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 of The Lutheran Hour
I am a hematologist, a blood doctor.
It wasn’t so very long ago, while I was working in the blood bank in Guatemala City, an emergency case was brought in.
He had been involved in an auto accident and was in desperate need of a transfusion. For him blood was life. Indeed, the patient had every promise of being able to make it through the accident and be completely healed.
Everything depended on him getting that transfusion.
I regret to say that because of his religious beliefs, the man turned down that gift of life. Although it was a tragedy — and it was unnecessary — he ended up dying. He had refused the gift of blood and to him blood was life.
It is no different for the rest of humanity.
We are all sinners. We are all lost. There is no hope … unless we receive a transfusion … a spiritual transfusion. Thankfully, a spiritual transfusion is what Jesus offers to us. Through His death on the cross and the shedding of His blood, all who believe on Him are saved.
Jesus’ blood is life.
That is what it says in the book of Romans: we are justified by Jesus’ blood. In short, His blood cleanses our sins; His blood gives salvation to all who believe.
As a doctor I can say the death of that man was unnecessary. As a servant of the Savior I know that because of His sacrifice nobody need ever die eternally. And it all happens because of Jesus’ blood.
THE PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the wonderful gift of life, which is ours through the blood of Your Holy Son, Jesus Christ. I rejoice that because of His sacrifice, my sins are forgiven and life eternal is mine. In His Name. Amen.
Biography of Author: This devotion was written by Dr. Abdiel Aguirre. He is a medical doctor and also a Lutheran pastor. His church membership is at Mighty Fortress Lutheran Church in Guatemala City. As a physician he helps the bodies of those who are sick; as a pastor he assists those who are ill in spirit. In Guatemala, Lutheran Hour Ministries-Guatemala uses Project JOEL, Bible Correspondence Courses (BCC) and Equipping the Saints (ETS) in its outreach to the citizens of this Central American country.
To learn more about our International Ministries, click here or visit www.lhmint.org.