Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

... (Jesus) did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the Name that is above every name, so that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:6b -11

The Carlson family had escaped the fire that was consuming their Wausau, Wisconsin, home. The only one missing was their dog, Koda, a Labrador retriever.

It took a while before some of the firefighters found and carried the dog out of the house.

At first it appeared they had been too late, and the dog had died from the intense smoke in the burning building. After a lengthier examination, it was evident that the dog was still struggling to breathe.

Although he had never been trained for anything like such a situation, fireman Jamie Giese leaned in and began mouth-to-snout respiration.

With Giese's assistance the dog began to breathe, and the firemen quickly covered her nose with a human oxygen mask. From there the dog was rushed to an animal hospital and an emergency center.

Today, Koda is back with family.

When I read that story, my first reaction was I wonder what the fireman was thinking when he bent down to help that dog? Do you think he would have done the same if it had been a cat, a parakeet, a hamster, a mouse, a goldfish?

Where would his compassion have stopped? Where would he have stopped and said, "No, I'm not going to do this. This is below my station."

Even though the distance which separates the Savior from us is far greater than the distance between the fireman and the pet, Scripture never records Jesus saying our salvation was below Him.

On the contrary, Paul points out that Jesus willingly made Himself nothing ... made Himself a servant ... became a man ... humbled Himself even to the point where He would die on a cross so we might be saved.

In this Jesus shows the kind of selfless sacrifice we don't deserve, but for which we must give thanks.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks for those men and women, who are willing to risk their lives for my welfare. Even more do I rejoice that I have been given a Savior who did all that was necessary to forgive my sins and save my soul. In Jesus I give thanks. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Jeremiah 33, 21    Hebrews 9

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