Devotion by Rev. Dr. Martin Koeller, BLDM Pastoral Advisor
September 12, 2026 BLDM Board Meeting
“Jesus loves me, this I know.” These are words our oldest son, Peter, would sing at the top of his
lungs while swinging on the swing set at just two years old. What joy filled his heart as he sang,
knowing that Jesus loved him.
That same joy is ours when we realize that God’s love is not abstract or distant—it is personal.
John 3:16 reminds us, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
all who believe in Him, shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
God loves the whole world. He loves those near and far, young and old, and those with or
without intellectual and developmental disabilities. No one is outside the reach of His love. Jesus
calls us to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (Mark 16:15 NIV)
What is meant by “all the world”? No one is excluded. Everyone is included.
What a wondrous privilege we have through Bethesda Lutheran Disability Ministries: to help
churches, families, and homes recognize the spiritual needs of people with IDD and to equip
them to share the love of Jesus. Every person deserves the opportunity to hear, understand, and
experience the good news that Jesus loves them.
As we serve on this Governing Board, may we never lose sight of the simple truth that brought
such joy to a little boy on a swing: Jesus loves me.
Let us pray:
Gracious and loving God, thank You for loving each of us and for sending Your Son, Jesus, to
bring us salvation and eternal life. Thank You for the privilege of serving those with intellectual
and developmental disabilities. Bless the BLDM Governing Board with wisdom, compassion,
and a servant’s heart. Guide us as we prepare and equip churches, families, and homes to
minister to the spiritual needs of people with IDD. May everything we do help more people
know the joy of Your love. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
