Daily Devotions
The two men said to Lot, “Do you have anyone else here — sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here.” Genesis 19:12
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
The unanticipated accident of the Russian atomic submarine in the Bering Sea made the news all around the world.
If you remember, all the men on board died. The heart-rending part of the story was this: for three days the crippled ship sent out an SOS signal. For three days the sailors hoped someone would come to save them.
It was a hope left unfulfilled.
The story of the destruction of Sodom is completely opposite to that of the submarine.
Unlike the submarine, Sodom’s destruction was predicted. Lot was given the opportunity to inform his relatives about the coming disaster. How did he do? Scripture tells us he did very poorly. Look at Genesis 19:14 and you will read that his sons-in-law thought he was joking.
Lot was so laid back about the impending destruction, his heaven-sent visitors ended up taking the hands of Lot and his family and leading them out of the city.
Apparently, Lot wasn’t all that interested warning others of their city’s destruction.
In contrast to Lot’s laid-back attitude, the apostle Peter gives a clear warning. In 2 Peter 3:12b, he wrote “… that day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.”
Using inspired Peter, the Holy Spirit is absolutely clear: there is a disaster coming — a disaster which will melt the elements. But Scripture is equally clear: with faith in the Savior, the disaster can be dodged.
Through the blood of Jesus there is hope and there is forgiveness and there is an eternal life in the new heaven and earth which is to come.
Disaster and deliverance — almost always that has been the message God’s people are to deliver to the world.
This leads me to ask, just how are you doing in letting folks know of the disaster from which they can be delivered?
THE PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, there are many people who are walking in darkness and don’t know what will happen to them on the Last Day. Please help us preach the Good News to them so they will be brought to faith in Jesus’ and His blood-bought gift of salvation. We pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Biography of Author: Today’s international devotion was written by Nguyen Huu Dung, a volunteer preacher working at the Trang Bang congregation outside Ho Chi Minh City. He is a member of Lutheran Hour Ministries’ Advocacy Board in Vietnam. Lutheran Hour Ministries-Vietnam is known in-country as The Voice of Hope. Puppet shows, music evangelism, Bible Correspondence Courses (BCC) and Equipping the Saints (ETS) are all used to serve the local population and share the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ.
To learn more about our International Ministries, click here or visit www.lhmint.org.