For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will. Ephesians 1:4-5

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



God designed you as a wonderful and unique person for a job that only you can do.

He could do that because He knew His plan for you even before He had created the world.

The Scripture above makes it very clear you are not an accident. Although the Lord does not control us as we might a robot, He knew all about your life before you were born. He knew about your life and has done a great deal to make that life a blessed thing.

Sadly, some people don't know about God's everlasting love.

For example, let me talk about my friend Margaret.

I met Margaret at a Christian homeless shelter. She had suffered some of the worst tragedies you could imagine. Margaret had been terribly abused as a child. As a teenager, she used drugs and alcohol. After she was grown, she spent years living in poverty and unhappy relationships, until she finally lost everything.

She went to the shelter, so she wouldn't have to live in her car.

Soon after she arrived, Margaret learned of Jesus as her Savior and was baptized. She immediately enrolled in the year-long disciples' Bible study program. In time, she shared her story. One day, it dawned on me that nearly every one of the women in the class had lived their lives in much the same way as had Margaret.

The Savior whom most of us have known for so long was a new and incredible individual to them. They were shocked that He had loved them for so long but they had never known, because they had never been told.

This is one reason Lutheran Hour Ministries does what it does. We don't want people to live their lives without knowing that on Calvary their sins were forgiven, and they were offered eternal life. We want all the Margarets of this world to know the sacrifice Jesus made for them. We want them to know, and we want them to know as soon as possible.

We want them to know and believe that in Jesus they can be given a new heart and a soul that will be welcomed into heaven when we die.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, there are far too many people who, like Margaret, don't know about Your love or the Savior's death and glorious resurrection. May we be granted the will and willpower to share the Savior with the lost. By the Holy Spirit's power may they be brought to faith and be saved. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Biography of Author: Today's international devotion was written by Lutheran Hour Ministries' co-workers in Africa. In Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Uganda and South Africa, LHM works with its ministry center staff and volunteers throughout Africa telling the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ to this continent of more than one billion people.


To learn more about our International Ministries, click here or visit www.lhmint.org.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Proverbs 13-15    Acts 2:1-21

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