Opening Thought
Know that Jesus Christ is our God and that there is no other Savior!
Text: Matthew 15:29-31
And Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there. Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them those who were lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them. So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.
Devotion
Search the world and see if you can find anyone like our Lord Jesus! Search among the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans; go among the Hindus, Arabs, and Persians. Search among the wise of the past and the present, among the mighty intellects, the great and good among mankind. Search among the angels, if you can, among the princes of heaven; climb up to the heights or down to the depths; there is none like Jesus. He, He alone can and will save us. His power and mercy are the same. Of no one else can it be said, as it is said of Him: “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows” (Isa 53:4). “Great multitudes came to Him, having with them those who were lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them.” No one else is what He is for us, and no one else takes care of us as He does. We are sinners; He is the Savior of sinners. We are sick; He is the Healer of the sick. We are unrighteous; He is our righteousness. We are captives of death; He is the Destroyer of death. He has a remedy for everything that is lacking in you. You are poor in body and soul; Jesus heals both. He takes away your sinful guilt and cleanses your soul. He destroys the poison that works all your harm. And you become clean and healthy forever. “He forgives all your iniquities, He heals all your diseases. He satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Psa 103:3.5).
And He does not turn away anyone who seeks healing from Him. No one, no one is so sick, so wicked, so sinful, – if he comes to Jesus, if he prays for salvation, then he receives it. Take note of this for yourself: Not a single one has He turned away, not a single one who came to Him and wanted to be saved. He confirmed His whole life long what He Himself says: “The one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out” (Joh 6:37). O we are fortunate and blessed who have such a Lord! I have found the One my soul sought, the One my soul loves, my Savior and Physician, my King and God, my Life and my Heaven! Let everything that is good, and let everything that is in me praise His holy name! Alleluia!
Closing Prayer
Draw us all to You, Lord Jesus, for You have room for us all! Heal us, and save us, and we shall rejoice and serve one another in Your sight and praise the Father who with You and the Holy Spirit are one true God from eternity and to eternity. Amen.
Hymn
O that I had a thousand voices
To praise my God with thousand tongues!
My heart, which in the Lord rejoices,
Would then proclaim in grateful songs
To all, wherever I might be,
What great things God hath done for me.
All creatures that have breath and motion,
That throng the earth, the sea, and sky,
Now join me in my heart’s devotion,
Help me to raise His praises high.
My utmost pow’rs can ne’er aright
Declare the wonders of His might.
Mentzer: O that I had a thousand voices L514:1.4 ELH 443:1.4;
tr. The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941; tune: O dass ich tausend Zungen hätte