Lost and Found

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Luke 15: 1-7


TO CHEW ON: "...Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep." Luke 15:6

When you lose a favorite toy, do you:
- say, “Oh well, I still have lots of other toys,” then find something else to play with?
- look for that toy for a while, then give up and play with something else?
- look for your favorite toy until you find it?

"The Parable of the Lost Sheep" by Alfred Usher Soord

Jesus told a story of a shepherd with 100 sheep. One day one of his sheep got lost. He left the 99 sheep and looked for the lost one until he found it.

"The Parable of the Lost Sheep" Illustrator of Abbott Illustrated New Testament, 1878

This kind of story is called a parable. It uses ordinary things to teach a spiritual lesson. In this parable about a shepherd and sheep we learn something about God (the shepherd) and people (sheep). What three things does the story teach us?

1. God loves each person.

2. God quickly gives up looking for us.

3. God loves people who do bad things as well as people who try to be good.

4. God is happy when sinners repent (are sorry for sin and turn away from it).

We can be glad God loves everyone, even people who do bad things. He is as happy when sinners repent as the shepherd was when he found his lost sheep.

"The Parable of the Lost Sheep" Illustrator of Abbott Illustrated New Testament, 1878

Has God found you? If not, remember God loves you just as much as the shepherd loved his one lost sheep. Will you let Him find you? There will be a party in heaven when you do!

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You that You care about me as much as the shepherd cared about the one lost sheep. Amen.


SUPERSIZE IT: Finding Lost Things
There are many ways of looking for things. How would you look for:

- a finger ring lost in sand?

- approaching weather systems?

- a lost pet?

- a broken bone in your body?

- a stolen car?

- a lost piece of clothing?


ANSWERS


Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Life-saving Blood

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 12:21-28

TO CHEW ON: "When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down." Exodus 12:23

As God had told Moses, Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites leave Egypt. Through frogs, gnats, flies, sick cattle, boils, hail, locusts and darkness, he didn’t budge. But God was not finished with him. God told Moses and Aaron what He would do next.

The first born son of every family in Egypt would die. It would happen at midnight.

But God would not kill anyone in the homes of the Israelites IF they followed His instructions. Solve the crossword using the Bible references and find out what God told each family to do.

Created with Puzzlemaker on DiscoveryEducation.com.
(Click on puzzle to enlarge and print)


- Each family was to take a (9 across - Exodus12:3).

- They were to kill it at (1 down - Exodus12:6).

- With (3 across - Exodus12:22) they were to paint the lamb’s blood on the (2 down [plural] Exodus12:22).

- Then they were to (6 across - Exodus12:9) the lamb and eat it with (10 across) and (5 down - Exodus12:8) with no yeast.

- They were to eat it in (8 across) and dressed ready to (7 down – Exodus 12:11).

- No one should leave the house until (4 across - Exodus12:22).

Painting blood on the doorframe

by James Tissot .

That night God would visit Egypt. When He saw the lamb’s blood painted on the door frames of the house, He would pass it and no one inside would die.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for this story which reminds us of Jesus’ blood and how He died instead of us. Amen.

MORE: The meaning of it all.
What was this special sacrifice and meal called?

A. Notice the red boxes in the puzzle above? Write down the letters in each red box, then unscramble them to make the name God called this sacrifice and meal (Exodus 12:27)

B. Why was that a good name for it?


Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.