... And those who walk in pride He is able to humble. Daniel 4:37b
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
The sin of pride is a particularly nasty one. Some examples we can all relate to are when we look down on somebody else less fortunate than us, when we're preoccupied with our fabulous achievements or material acquisitions, or when we think somehow we're just plain better than other folk.
In addition to duping us into thinking we're better than other people, pride can also drive a deadly wedge between God and us. How? Though we may acknowledge that God, through the saving work of Christ Jesus, is willing to forgive all our sins, pride can deceive us into thinking that somehow that doesn't really mean our sins.
As a consequence, some people mistakenly feel that though God offers complete liberation from every sin through Christ's work on the cross, this offer must somehow, some way, be added to by them completing the deal -- i.e. doing something on their own that puts the finishing touch on God's work for their salvation.
That is nothing more than an attempt to earn salvation through the things we do.
Perhaps Paul's no-nonsense approach puts it best: "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
Unfortunately, there are many who are too proud to accept that their sins, though grievous, are as damnable -- and forgivable -- as the next person's. No more, no less. Therefore, being cleansed of those sins requires one thing: faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of the world.
THE PRAYER: God, please help us accept the free gift of forgiveness and eternal life that You have extended to all people through the life, death, and resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Biography of Author: Today's devotion is based on a message submitted by Meron Tekle Berhan from Ethiopia. Working as an adult English language instructor, she assists the work of Lutheran Hour Ministries by helping translate Amharic into English. Opened in 1996 in the capital of Addis Ababa, LHM-Ethiopia or Berhan Media Ministry (BMM) as it is known locally, spreads the Gospel through mass evangelism rallies and by Bible Correspondence Courses (BCC) in this country of 85 million people.
To learn more about our International Ministries, click here or visit www.lhmint.org.
Today's Bible Readings: Numbers 5-6 Mark 13:1-20
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