First to Hear

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Luke 2: 8-20

TO CHEW ON: "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby...An angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them..." Luke 2:8,9

Some shepherds were in the fields outside Bethlehem looking after their flocks. It was night. Some of them were asleep. Others were sitting close to the cozy fire talking and trying to stay awake.

"Shepherds Watching Flocks" by O. A. Stemler & Bess Bruce Cleaveland, illustrators Standard Bible Story Readers by Lillie A. Faris

Suddenly a dazzling light shone around them. They were terrified. A shining white being said, “Don’t be afraid. I have good news for you and everyone on earth. Today in the town of David (Bethlehem) a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

"The Shepherds and the Angels" - Unknown Artist

The sign that you have found the right baby is that you’ll find Him wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger”

Then a whole choir of angels appeared. They were praising God, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Gradually the light faded. The glorious sound went still.

Then the shepherds did just what the angels said. When they got to Bethlehem, they found Mary, Joseph and the baby. He was in a manger, wrapped in cloths, just as the angels had told them.

"Adoration of the Shepherds" by Unknown Artist

In Bible times, being a shepherd was not a status job. Many people thought you couldn’t trust shepherds. A shepherd’s testimony didn’t hold up in court. The very religious people thought shepherds were unclean. So why did God send the angels to tell shepherds first?

- Because people would know if God pays attention to shepherds, He’ll pay attention to anyone?
- Because Jesus came as a Savior to all people, even those who are humble and unimportant, like shepherds?
- Because God knew the shepherds were simple and trusting enough to believe and act on what the angels said?

The Bible doesn’t tell us, but I think it may have been for all these reasons. What do you think?

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for coming to earth for simple, unimportant, ordinary people like shepherds. Thank You for coming to earth for me. Amen.



SUPERSIZE IT: Jobs
A “shepherd” has the job of looking after sheep. What’s your dad’s job? Your mom’s? How many jobs can you name? Can you think of a job starting with each letter of the alphabet?

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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.

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

From Sadness to Celebration

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Esther 8:11-17

TO CHEW ON: "In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating..." Esther 8:17

Quickly things turned around in Susa. Haman was gone. When Esther told the king that Mordecai was her cousin, he gave Mordecai the job Haman had before. But the king’s law still stood. The Jews were still in danger.


Again Esther went to the king. “Please spare the life of my people,” she pleaded.

“My law from before can’t be overturned,” the king told her. “But you can write another one.”

So Mordecai called together the secretaries. They wrote a new command. It said that the Jewish people could now fight back to defend themselves from anyone who attacked them. Couriers on horses raced to the farthest parts of the land to post the new law.


When the people of Susa heard the news, there was great happiness. On the day that Haman had picked for the slaughter, Jews everywhere fought against their attackers and were successful. Now instead of that day being a day of death and weeping, it became a day of feasting and celebrating.

I’m sure Esther and Mordecai wondered, on those first grim days after Haman passed his law, if they would ever feel like smiling again. But with God’s help everything changed. Instead of tears, a big celebration ended the story.

We too may be in sad times. We may wonder if and how things will ever get better. Like Esther and Mordecai, let’s pray to God about our problems. The God of Esther and Mordecai is our God too. He can still turn sadness into a celebration!

PRAYER: Dear God, I bring my problem of __________ to You. Please change my sadness into celebration. Amen.

MORE: Purim
Every year after that the Jews celebrated the day when God saved them from their enemies through Queen Esther. They called it the Feast of Purim.

The Jewish people still celebrate the Feast of Purim today. Here are some things they do on that day:



1. They read the story of Esther from the Hegillah (the Scroll). They cheer whenever Esther’s name is mentioned, boo at Haman’s name and wave graggers or noisemakers. They also act out the story in plays.


2. They wear costumes, disguises and masks to remind them of how Esther had to hide the fact that she was Jewish.

3. They send gifts to each other and the poor. They also invite people to join them in a special Purim meal.

4. They make special food. One treat is called Hamantaschen (Haman’s Hat). It is a three-cornered pastry filled with poppy seeds or prunes.

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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.

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

Celebrate!

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ezra 3:7-12

TO CHEW ON: "With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: 'He is good: his love to Israel endures forever' And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid." Ezra 3:11

Haggai’s message to put God first got everyone’s attention. Zerubbabel called the priests together. They decided to again worship God even though there was no temple in which to do it. They built an altar outside and again made the sacrifices and kept the feasts the way God had said.

Next they took a collection of money for building supplies. What a busy time followed, clearing away the rubble of the old temple and bringing in logs, cut stones and bricks for the new one.


Finally the day came when the foundation of the new temple was in place. That day they decided to celebrate. The Priests and Levites got dressed in their special clothes. They brought their trumpets and cymbals and praised God with singing and music like in the time of King David. Then all the people watching gave a shout of praise. God’s house was back!


What things do we celebrate? Certainly a new church is a good reason for a celebration. But we don’t have to wait for something so big to have a praise party. Baby dedications, baptisms, Christmas, Easter, weddings, birthdays – these are all good times to praise God and celebrate.

PRAYER: Dear God, You are so good to me. I want to include You in all my celebrations. Today I thank and praise You for __________ Amen.

MORE: Celebration Favorites
1. What events and special times do you celebrate in your home? In your church?
2. What things (like guests, decorations, foods, activities) make those celebrations special?
3. What’s the best celebration you remember?

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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.


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

Singing Soldiers

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Chronicles 20:20-29

TO CHEW ON: "As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated." 2 Chronicles 20:22

It was the morning of battle day. The day before, the prophet had told Jehoshaphat that God would fight this battle for him and his soldiers. But the army still had to go to the battlefield. “Have faith in God,” Jehoshaphat encouraged the men, “and you will be successful.

Then Jehoshaphat arranged his army in a strange way. Who did he put at the front? (2 Chronicles 20:21)
1. Chariots and horsemen.
2. A choir of singers and praisers.
3. The most skilled fighters with bows and arrows.

As the army marched to the battlefield the singers, who led the troops, began to sing and praise God. When they did this an amazing thing happened. Trouble broke out in the enemy camp. The Ammonites and Moabites began to fight against the soldiers from Mount Seir. After that they fought and killed each other.


When Jehoshaphat’s army came to the hill overlooking the battlefield, there was no one left to fight. They trusted God and praised Him for helping them win even before they saw that victory. As they praised, God fought and won the battle for them.

Have you ever praised and worshiped God when you faced a big challenge? Try it. When we worship and praise God, He works in us and in our circumstances.

PRAYER: Dear God, please remind me to praise and worship You, especially in the middle of my problems. Amen.

MORE: Sing Jehoshaphat’s Song
1. The song that Jehoshaphat’s singing soldiers sang was simple. Write out the words (2 Chronicles 20:21) ____________

2. We don’t know what the melody of this song was so we can’t sing it exactly like the soldiers did. But we could sing it to a tune of our own. Make a song of the words Jehoshaphat’s soldiers sang:
-Sing them to a tune you already know or make up one of your own.
-You could repeat some of the words or phrases of Jehoshaphat’s song to fit with your music.

For an example, here is Jehoshaphat’s song, sung to the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
Give thanks to the Lord, the Lord,
Lord, the Lord, Lord, the Lord.
Give thanks to the Lord, the Lord
For his love endures forever.

3. Sing this song to God often. Sing it the next time you face a big challenge and need God’s help.

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.


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

Trouble

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Psalm 3:1-8

TO CHEW ON: "Many are saying of me, 'God will not deliver him.' But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.” Psalm 3:2,3

Have you ever been in big trouble? Maybe some bullies at school are picking on you, or someone in your family is deathly sick, or your house was wrecked in a storm or fire – or some other thing. What do you do when big trouble comes?


When David wrote Psalm 3, he had a big problem. By now he had been king for many years. He also had many children. One of his sons, Absalom, was ambitious. He wanted to become king instead of David.

Secretly Absalom won the hearts of the people. He did this by talking to each person who came with a problem for the king to judge. He said things like, “Isn’t it a shame the king is too busy to hear you? Now if only I were the king, things would be different.”

After acting like this for four years, he made his move. Without his father knowing it Absalom went to Hebron. Then he sent secret messengers through the land. They told everyone, “As soon as you hear the trumpets, say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron.’”

A messenger came from Hebron to tell David. “Everyone is following Absalom.”

David knew if this were true, he and his family were in danger. Quickly they packed some things and hurried out of Jerusalem. But David felt terrible. His own son, whom he loved, was betraying him. And if all the people and the army really were going with Absalom, who was left to help him?


So David did what he had always done – in good times and bad. He went to God. Psalm 3 is the prayer he prayed when he was running away from Absalom. In it he tells God his problem (Psalm 3:1-2). He reminds himself how big and strong God is by praising Him (Psalm 3:3-4). He tells how trusting God changes even the way he acts, helping him sleep and not be afraid (Psalm 3:5-6). Then he prays that God will deal with his enemies (Psalm 3:7-9).

Read this prayer aloud, pretending you are David praying it. What is your favorite part? _______

PRAYER: Dear God, my big problem is __________. Please help me. Amen


MORE: A Prayer-for-help Psalm of Your Own
Write a Prayer-for-help Psalm of your own. You can use the words in bold to start each section.

Part 1: O Lord, _____ (Name your problem and say what people or your thoughts are telling you about it.).

Part 2: But _____ (Write about how great God is and how able to help).

Part 3: I _____ (Tell how your actions would change if you knew God would help you.)

Part 4: Arise O Lord _____ (Write out exactly what you want God to do).

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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.

Praise!

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Psalm 150:1-6

TO CHEW ON: "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord." Psalm 150:6

To help the people celebrate, David and other song writers wrote praise psalms. One of them is Psalm 150. We learn many things about praising God from this psalm.

We learn that praise can sound from many places. It can come from a sanctuary or a church. It can also come from nature, like the “mighty heavens,” those beautiful stars, planets, the sun and the moon that God made. Can you think of more places?

The planets Saturn and Jupiter

We learn that we praise God for many reasons. We may praise God for His “acts of power.” These could be miracles that God has done.

People in Bible times would think of things like how God sent plagues on the Egyptians so the Israelites could go free, or dried up the Jordan River so they could cross.

We can praise God for these things too. But we can also praise God for the mighty acts that God has done for people in our time. Perhaps you’ve heard stories of how God has healed people, or helped them escape from dangerous situations, or sent someone to rescue them just in time. Maybe God has done something like that for you. This is a great reason to praise God.

We also praise God for His “surpassing greatness.” This is praise to Him just because of who He is – all knowing, all powerful, all seeing, merciful, just, kind, eternal. When we think of God – how big and amazing He is – we can’t help but praise Him.

This Psalm also helps us learn ways to praise God. We can sing, dance and play musical instruments. Do you praise God like that? The people in Bible times played many instruments.



List the instruments that the writer mentions in Psalm 150:2-4.

1. ______

Have you seen any of those? Circle the ones you know.

Now add to the list instruments that people in your church play to worship God.

Finally, we learn who should praise God. Who? (Psalm 150:6)
2. _______ Does that include you?

PRAYER: "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! Amen"

MORE: Make a Tambourine
One of the musical instruments in Psalm 150 is a tambourine. Make a tambourine of your own.

What you need:
2 paper plates; crayons or paints, stapler, dried beans

What to do:
1. Decorate the bottom of both paper plates with the crayons or paints.
2. Place one plate, decorated side down, on a work surface.
3. Place the other plate, decorated side up, on top of the first plate.
4. Staple the plates together around the rim, leaving a 4-inch space.
5. Slip a handful of beans into the space between the two plates.
6. Finish stapling the plates together, making sure there are no spaces where beans can escape.

Play your tambourine:
Put on your favorite praise CD and join in the praise with your tambourine.

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.



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

Job's very bad, terrible, no good day

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Read Job 1:6-22



TO CHEW ON: "At this Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: '. . . The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.'” Job 1:20,21

Sometime after the flood, a man named job and his family lived in the land of Uz. Job was a happy man. He had a wife and a large, healthy family. He was also rich with donkeys, sheep, oxen, camels, and servants. Then one day his good life fell apart. Match Job’s possessions with what happened to them: (Job 1:13-18)


What a horrible day for Job! One after the other, his servants came to him with news of robbers, fire, wind, calamity and death.

It wouldn’t surprise us to see Job feel sorry for himself, or full of fear, or angry enough with God to curse Him. But though Job was shocked and grieved (and did show his feelings by tearing his clothes and shaving his head - like the people of his time did), he didn’t curse God for his troubles. What did he say instead (Job1:21)?

PRAYER: Dear God, help me praise You when bad things happen, just like Job did. Amen.

SECOND HELPING: Behind the Scenes

Before any of this happened to Job, we get a peek at a heavenly meeting (Job 1:6-12).
Draw the two characters who said the things in the speech bubbles.






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.