Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house." Luke 19:9

We thrill when we read of Jesus' preaching to the multitudes in Judea and ministering to the thousands gathered by the Sea of Galilee. We behold with glad hearts the crowds that thronged about Him in Capernaum.

But how refreshing it is to also read in the Gospel record that amid the multitude in Judea He was not too busy to heal one leper! Or surrounded by the hungry crowd of people who came to hear Him preach by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus found time to use one boy to bless them all. And in the crowded house in Capernaum He stopped to heal one man who was let down through the opened roof.

Although besieged and mobbed by the multitudes, Jesus never lost sight of the value of one soul. How comforting it is to read of His conversation with a single Nicodemus; of His visit with one woman at the well; of his personal interest in little Zacchaeus in a sycamore tree; of the thief to whom He said, in view of His atoning death about to take place, "Today you will be with Me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). And regarding each one of us this is spoken: "There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent" (Luke 15:7).

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for Your personal interest in us and for what You did to bless us throughout eternity to come. Amen.

(Taken from "Words of Promise," copyright 1996 (out of print), Concordia Publishing House. For information on other devotional materials, call 1-800-325-3040.)

Today's Bible Readings: Jeremiah 9-10    Colossians 1

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