(The LORD said) "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7b

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



To all appearances the man was going to end his life as he had lived it: guzzling down one bottle of alcohol after another.

When most people die, there is usually someone left behind to mourn. That was not going to be the case for this man whom everyone looked upon as a lost cause -- everyone, that is -- except for one Christian lady who prayed for the man's recovery, and then went to him to offer any help she might be able to provide.

Time passed, and the man didn't die.

On the contrary, to the amazement of many, the man began to change his life. It soon became obvious his heart had also been changed. No longer a hopeless drunken man, the Holy Spirit had transformed him into someone whose life was dedicated to God and helping others who were practicing alcoholics.

Once again it needs to be made clear: this man found his way out from his disease by the power of God, as he had come to know it through the kindly actions of that Christian woman.

Now if you had asked her why she had kept believing in the man, she would have told you, "If the Lord loved this man enough to send His Son into this world to be sacrificed so this man might be saved, I had to love him, too."

Because she knew Jesus loved everyone, this woman refused to make her judgments on the basis of the man's outward appearances. Instead, she kept praying and believing that God would perform a miracle in the life of the man.

The woman was right.

God does not see or care how people look. He does not evaluate us on our power, or our weakness, or our intelligence or lack of it.

On the contrary, God sees our hearts and acts to transform souls that are diseased and dying from sin and make them healthy, whole and saved.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks You have acted to save me from sin, death and devil. I rejoice that Jesus came to save me. Now may I reflect the love I have been given to others around me. In the Savior's Name I ask it. Amen.

Biography of Author: Today's international devotion was written by Alexander Jesus Perez Leon, who is director of the Lutheran Hour Ministries office in Valencia, Venezuela. In this country of nearly 30 million people, LHM-Venezuela uses Equipping the Saints (ETS) and Bible Correspondence Courses (BCC) and Project JOEL to reach out to South Americans with the Gospel. Additionally, this ministry center's website offers helpful resources and information, addressing people's everyday challenges and needs.


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: Isaiah 43-44    Romans 8:1-21

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