Making Things Right

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Philemon 1-25

TO CHEW ON: "I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me." Philemon 10,11



Onesimus was a slave who lived in Colosse. His master’s name was Philemon. One day Onesimus stole some money from Philemon and ran away to Rome.

After some time, perhaps after all the money was spent, Onesimus found Paul. He may have met Paul before because Philemon was a Christian and a church met in his home. Paul had probably visited there.

Soon Onesimus became a Christian too. Then he faced a big problem. What should he do about his master Philemon and the money he had stolen? If he went back, Philemon might punish him or even kill him. He would certainly be a slave again. But if he didn’t, his conscience would bother him and give him no peace.

What would you have done? Do you think it’s important to confess and make right the wrong things we’ve done to people? Why or why not?

Paul wrote Onesimus’s master a letter. In it he asked Philemon to forgive Onesimus and take him back as a Christian friend. Then Paul sent Onesimus back to Colosse to deliver the letter to his master.

"Philemon" by Johann C. Weigel, 1695

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, is there anything I need to confess or make right with someone? Please give me the courage to do it. Amen.


MORE: How the Story Ends
The Bible doesn’t tell us how this story ends. What do you think happens when Onesimus returns to Philemon?

"Onesimus and Philemon" by O. A. Stemler

Write or tell the ending to the story:

• as Philemon would tell it

OR

• as Onesimus would tell it.

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Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

Storm

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 27:13-26

TO CHEW ON: "Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called a 'Northeaster,' swept down from the island. The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along.” Acts 27:14,15

At last Paul was getting his wish. He was on his way to Rome to appear before Caesar. Perhaps he was hopeful Caesar would rule that all the accusations the Jewish leaders had made against him were false.

"Paul heads to Rome" - Johann C. Weigel, 1695

Much of the trip had to be made by ship. The first part of Paul's voyage was smooth.

"Sailing the Mediterranean by ship" - Artist unknown (from H. D. Northrop's Treasures of the Bible - 1894).

But after the ship left Crete a storm came up. Quickly the sea became so fierce there was nothing the captain and crew could do. They were at the mercy of the wind and waves

Everyone was terrified. Everyone, that is, except Paul. Why was Paul not afraid? Acts 27:23-24 (Choose one):

1. An angel had told him they would all be saved.
2. He had a good eye for weather and could see the storm was breaking up.
3. God had told him he would be swallowed by a fish.

Sometimes we find ourselves in storms. They might be literal storms - a snowstorm, tornado or flood. Or they might be a bad thing that feels like a storm - an accident, sickness or death. God does not keep storms away from us. But like God was with Paul, he will be with us in our storms.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, help me to trust You in every kind of storm. Amen.


SUPERSIZE IT: Your Storms
1. What is the worst storm you’ve ever been in?
Describe it. How did you feel? What happened?

2. A “Storm Psalm” - Next time you are in a storm, read Psalm 91 to remind you that God can protect and save you.


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.

Your Story

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 22:1-21

TO CHEW ON: “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.” Acts 22:1

About a week after Paul got to Jerusalem he was arrested. Some Jewish leaders from the cities he had traveled to earlier saw him in the Jerusalem temple. Now they set the whole crowd against him. Soon there was another riot as bad as the one in Ephesus.

The crowd became so violent Roman soldiers had to rescue Paul or he would have been killed.

Artist unknown

The soldiers tied him up with chains. They thought someone who got the crowd so angry must be a very bad person. Then they carried him to jail.

Just before Paul was taken into the jailhouse, he asked for permission to talk to the angry crowd.

Prisoner Paul addresses the people - Artist unknown

When the soldiers let him do this, what did Paul tell the crowd? (Acts 22:1-21)
1. That they were wrong and he was right.
2. That they were all going to hell.
3. The story of how Jesus met him.
4. That he was wrong and would listen to them from now on.

Of course, we know it’s 3. Paul told the crowd the story of how Jesus met him on the road to Damascus.




We can follow Paul’s example. When we tell others about Jesus, it seldom helps to argue with them or tell them how wrong they are. But everyone loves a story, especially a story about how God finds and helps ordinary people like you and I.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for bringing each person to You in a special way. Give me the courage to tell my story to my friends who don’t know You. Amen.


MORE: Tell Your Story
Remember the time you found Jesus (or He found you):

• How did you feel before Jesus came into your life? (Guilty about the wrong things you’d done? Afraid of dying?)

• Where were you the day you first welcomed Him into your heart? (In your bedroom? In church? At camp?)

• Who was with you? (Your mom or dad? Your teacher? Your camp counselor? No one?)

• What did you do? (Say a prayer in your own words? Read a prayer? Say a prayer after someone?)

• How did you feel then? (Like crying? Much better? No feelings?)

• What happened the next day? (You felt happy, like singing? You wanted to confess some things to people you had wronged?)

Write your story. Then read or tell it to a friend or family member.

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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.

Betrayed!

TODAY’S SPECIAL: John 13:18-30


TO CHEW ON: “'Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.'” - Jesus, John 13:21

• Your brother promises to wait for you after school, but then walks home without you.

• You tell your best friend a secret and ask her not to tell anyone. But the next day you find that five people in your class know your secret.

• Your baseball team has its own signals. One day you play a team that knows exactly what each of your signals means.

You have been betrayed! Whether betrayal comes from someone disappointing you, telling your secrets or helping your enemy, being betrayed is not fun.

"My Betrayer Is Here" - Artist unknown

Jesus was betrayed too. His betrayer came to the garden where He was praying. He came with soldiers who were planning to arrest Jesus.

1. Who was the traitor? (John 18:1-6)
a)____ John
b)____ Peter
c)____ Judas.

2. How did he betray Jesus: (Mark 14:43-46)
a)____ He spread bad stories about Jesus all around town.
b)____ He lost the money bag he was in charge of.
c)____ He kissed Jesus to show the soldiers which person to arrest.

"Betrayed with a Kiss" - Artist unknown

3.What was the purpose of Judas’ betrayal? (John 13:18)
a)____ to fulfill the Scripture
b)____ to help Judas get more money.
c)____ to show that Satan was more powerful than God.

I’m sure this betrayal by a friend hurt Jesus as much as being betrayed by our friends hurts us. But even this bad thing worked out to be good – for Jesus, and for us. It was one of the steps that led toward Jesus being killed. But that death and what happened later makes it possible for you and me to be friends with God now.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for taking this betrayal for me. Help me not to be a person who betrays others. Amen

MORE: Traitors

• Have you ever betrayed someone? Who? What did you do?

• Has someone every betrayed you? Who was the traitor? What did they do?

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.

A Keepsake Meal

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Luke 22: 14-20


TO CHEW ON: “...do this in remembrance of me.” Luke 22:19

Do you have a collection of special keepsakes? Suppose in your collection you have a teacup from your grandma, a baseball hat from when you were little, and a trophy.

Those keepsakes wouldn’t be special to someone else, but they are to you. Why? Because each one is a picture or symbol of someone or something important to you. The teacup might remind you of grandma and the interesting stories she told. The baseball hat could remind you of the friend you played with when you wore it. The trophy reminds you of your team and how hard you worked to win the tournament.

Jesus, during his last meal with His disciples, gave them just such a way to remember Him. He took a piece of bread, said grace over it, tore it apart, and handed the broken pieces to them. He told them to eat it and when they did, to remember Him and how His body would be nailed and pierced (broken) for them.

"The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci - 1498

Then he took a cup of wine. Again he asked a blessing on it, handed it around and told them to take a drink. This was to remind them of how His blood would be poured out for them.

"The Last Supper" © 1993 by Darlene Slavuac (Used with the artist's permission)

We still celebrate this remembrance of Jesus. In some churches it’s called "Communion." Other churches call it the "Lord’s Supper.’"Still others call it "Holy Eucharist." Do you celebrate it in your church? What do you call it?

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for Your broken body and poured out blood. Help me to think of You each time I take part in this meal. Amen.


MORE: Christian Symbols
Pictures of a goblet of wine and a loaf of bread remind us of the Lord’s Supper. Below are more Christian symbols. Match each symbol with the thing or event we remember when we see it:



A. Jesus riding on a donkey into Jerusalem. _____

B. The end of the flood and God's faithfulness. _____

C. The Ten Commandments. _____

D. A secret symbol used by early Christians. One person would draw an arc in the sand and the other would complete the sign to show they were both followers of Christ. _____

E. The Lord's Supper. _____

F. Jesus' death. _____

G. The soldiers mocking Jesus and His suffering before His death. _____

H. The Holy Spirit. _____

I. Christmas. _____


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.

God's Friends

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Luke 2: 21-38

TO CHEW ON: "It had been revealed to him (Simeon) by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah ....She (Anna) never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying." Luke 2: 26 & 37



When Jesus was still a tiny baby (40 days, about six weeks old) Joseph and Mary brought him to the temple in Jerusalem and gave him to the Lord. They also had to bring a sacrifice - doves or pigeons. They were obeying a command God gave Moses hundreds of years earlier.

There were probably many people in the temple the day Joseph and Mary took Jesus there. Perhaps some stopped Mary to take a look at her new baby and say how cute He was. The temple workers (Levites) probably saw Jesus when they helped Joseph and Mary with their sacrifice. But only two people recognized that Jesus was not just an ordinary baby.

Elderly Simeon and Anna (who weren’t together) both came to Mary and Joseph, one after the other. They wanted to see this baby. They wanted to tell Jesus’ parents and everyone around that Jesus was special. How did they know?


It seems both Simeon and Anna had a special friendship with God. Simeon was waiting for Messiah, and the Holy Spirit had given him a promise: He would not 1)________ before he saw the 2)________ 3)_________ . When God told him to go to the temple that morning, he obeyed. (Luke 2:26)

Anna never left the temple. In fact, she 4) __________ 5) ___________ and 6)_________ ,7) ________ and 8) ___________ . (Luke 2:37)

Because they loved God so much and spent so much time with Him, God told them things He didn't tell anyone else.

What do you think - do you have to be old or live in church to have a special friendship with God?

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to be a close friend of Yours, like Simeon and Anna were. Amen


SUPERSIZE IT: Given to God

Though we no longer make sacrifices of birds or animals, many churches still have special services where parents can present their children to God.

In some churches a minister prays for and dedicates the baby to God. In others a minister or priest sprinkles the baby with water to christen or baptize it. If you had such a time when you were a baby, ask your parents to tell you about it.

Do you think dedicating a child to God when it is a baby makes a difference in its life? Why or why not.

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. 

Travel Protection

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ezra 8:21-32

TO CHEW ON: "There by Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children and all our possessions." Ezra 8:21

Ezra hugged the king’s letter to himself. He could hardly believe it – permission to go back home! He opened the letter and read it again. Yes, there it was. Not only could he gather the people for the trip back to Jerusalem, but the king was also sending gold and silver to replace the temple furniture.

About sixty years had passed since the first exiles had returned to Jerusalem. King Xerxes and Esther were now dead and a new king, Artaxerxes, ruled in Babylon. Ezra, a man who had spent his whole life studying God’s laws, was the leader of the exiles.


Quickly Ezra spread the word that they could go home to Jerusalem. People packed their belongings and gathered at Ahava Canal from where they would set out. Soon the crowd had swelled to 1700 people. Everyone was eager to get going.

But Ezra was worried. The trip would be long. With all the gold and silver they were carrying, they would be a target for bandits. The king had offered to send some soldiers along to protect them. But after telling the king how powerful his God was, Ezra felt stupid accepting the king’s protection.

So now Ezra called everyone together. “Before we leave,” he told them, “we’re going to fast and pray for God’s protection on our trip.” And that’s what they did before they set out.

The 900-mile trip took four months. Though I’m sure everyone got tired and sore from walking all that way, every person and all their possessions arrived in Jerusalem safely. God answered their prayer.



Do you ever pray for God’s protection for everyday things like travel? God is able to protect us on our travels just like he protected Ezra and the exiles. Next time you set out on a trip – long or short – remember to pray for God’s travel protection.

PRAYER: Dear God, please protect me in all my travels today. Amen.

MORE: Travel
Travel was not common in Ezra’s time – before cars buses, trains and planes. The 900-mile trip between Babylon to Jerusalem may have been the first trip some of these people had taken. Chances are you’ve traveled much farther than that already in your life. Tell about some of your travels.


1. What is the longest trip you’ve ever taken?

2. Circle how you got there: car/van/truck boat bus plane train other ________

3. Name some other places to which you have traveled.

4. What is your favorite travel memory?

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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. 

God's Errand Boy

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Samuel 3:1-21

TO CHEW ON: "The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, 'Samuel! Samuel!'
Then Samuel said, 'Speak for your servant is listening.'” 1 Samuel 3:10

One night after everyone had gone to bed, Samuel heard Eli call him. Because Eli was very old and blind, Samuel helped him with many things and was used to coming when Eli called. Now Samuel jumped out of bed and ran to Eli. “Here I am,” he said. “You called me.”

“No I didn’t,” answered Eli. “Go back to bed.”

"Eli and Samuel"
Original oil painting © 2001 by Darlene Slavujac Thau (used with the artist's permission)

A few minutes later, Samuel thought he heard Eli call his name again, and again he jumped out of bed to see what Eli wanted. Again Eli sent him back to bed.

When this happened a third time, Eli thought of something. Maybe this was God wanting to speak to Samuel. So he said, “Go and lie down. If He calls you a third time say, ‘Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.’”

So Samuel went back bed. Sure enough, in a few minutes the voice came again, “Samuel! Samuel!”

“Speak for your servant is listening,” Samuel said.


1. Then God spoke to him. What did God tell him (1 Samuel 3:11-14)? Choose the best answer:
A. Eli and his sons are to lead the army in a war against the Philistines.

B. I will punish Eli’s family because Eli knew about his sons’ sins but didn’t stop them.

C. Eli and his sons are doing things that please me a lot. They will be priests for a long time.


2. Next morning Eli asked Samuel what God had said. How do you think Samuel felt about telling him? ___________ . Did he tell him? (1 Samuel 3:18) ________



Even though Samuel was just a child, God talked to him and gave him an important message for Eli.

Has God ever talked to you? He can. Just make sure all of you – your ears, and your whole body – is ready to listen.

PRAYER: Speak Lord, for your servant is listening. Amen.

MORE: Hearing God
Below is a list of some ways God might speak to people. Can you think of more?

- in Bible words
- through the words of a song
- while enjoying nature
- during prayer
- through your conscience
- in a silent voice in your thoughts
- in an out-loud voice

Has God ever spoken to you in any of these ways? Tell about 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.

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

A Can-do Attitude

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Numbers 13:26-33

TO CHEW ON: "Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, 'We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.' But the men who had gone up with him said, 'We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.'” Numbers 13:30,31



The Israelites had been traveling through the desert for a long time. Now they were near the land God had promised them. To prepare for going in and settling there, Moses sent twelve spies to explore their new home. For forty days these men went from place to place in Canaan, secretly checking out the country.

When they got back, they told of the amazing orchards and farms. They brought back grapes, dates and pomegranates to prove how rich the land was. But they also told of huge walled cities and people who looked as big and strong as giants.

Ten of the spies didn’t think they would ever be able to live there. “The cities are too protected,” they said, “and the people are too tall.”

But two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, didn’t agree. “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we certainly can do it,” said Caleb.

Why do you think Joshua and Caleb disagreed with the other spies?
1. Joshua and Caleb needed their eyes checked.
2. Joshua and Caleb were taller, fiercer and braver than the other spies.
3. Joshua and Caleb remembered the ways God had helped them in the past and knew He could help them again.

Joshua and Caleb may have been braver than the others. But I’m sure that another reason they knew they could win over the people of Canaan was 3. They remembered all the times God had helped them in the past. They knew that with God they could do anything.

Things around us sometimes look impossible too. At those times it’s important that we remind ourselves of the times God has helped us. This will give us courage and confidence that He will be with us in whatever we’re facing now.

PRAYER: Dear God, please remind me of how You have helped me in the past and know that together we can get through hard things now. Amen

MORE: Story time
1. Pretend you are Caleb or Joshua. What stories could you tell the ten spies to remind them of God’s help in the past?

2. What stories could you tell a friend or family member about how God has helped you and your family?

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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. 

Made Good by God

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Genesis 45:1-15

TO CHEW ON: “And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.” Genesis 45:5

After hearing Judah’s offer to take Benjamin’s place, Joseph knew his brothers were changed. Suddenly all the feelings he had been holding inside – the sadness at being hated and sold by his brothers, the fear, the homesickness, the years of being away from his family, the mixed-up feelings he got when he saw his brothers again – needed to come out.

Joseph dismissed his servants, and began to cry. “I am Joseph,” he told his brothers between sobs. “Is my father still living?”

Joseph greeting his brothers - Artist unknown

His brothers were scared of him. Now Joseph was the powerful one. He could do anything he wanted with them. Would he want revenge?

But he told them, “Don’t worry. God was in everything that happened. You meant to do a bad thing to me, but God made something good out of it. Because I am here in Egypt, our whole family can be saved from the famine.”

We too may have experienced things we don’t understand. People may have hurt us, or left us or treated us badly. We may have gone through loneliness and confusion. We may have wondered, why is this happening? But like Joseph, we too can trust God to make good things out of bad in our lives.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to trust you with every part of my life, like Joseph did. Amen.

MORE: Puzzling the puzzle

Some things that happen to us may feel like puzzle pieces that don’t fit.

1. What things have happened to you that you don’t understand?

2. What things have happened to you that you didn’t understand once, but now you’re beginning to see how they make sense?

3. What do you think—do we need to understand why things happen to us? Why or why not.

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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.

Perfect Timing

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Genesis 41:1-16, 39,40

TO CHEW ON: “Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Since God has made this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.’” (Genesis 41:39,40)

Two years passed after the cup bearer was set free, Joseph was still in prison.

One night Pharaoh had a dream. It scared him and he wanted to know what it meant. But when he called his wise men and magicians, they couldn’t tell him the meaning of the dream.

Then someone remembered a dream he had had, and the young Hebrew prisoner who told him what it meant. It was the cup bearer. At last he remembered Joseph!

Servants came for Joseph. They took off his prison uniform, put new clothes on him and brought him to Pharaoh.



Pharaoh told Joseph his dream – and Joseph told him the meaning! Then Pharaoh did something amazing. He made Joseph the second boss in the whole land.

I’m sure Joseph often wondered, will the cup bearer ever think of me? Will I ever get out of here? But when it was God’s time, Joseph went from being a prisoner to a prince in one day!

PRAYER: Dear God, You have a perfect time for everything in my life. Thank you! Amen.

MORE: Luck, Coincidence – or God?

Sometimes when things fit together perfectly, we call it good luck, or coincidence. But such times are really examples of God putting things together in the perfect way, at the perfect time.

Can you tell a story of a time when God did this for you?

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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.

Alone - but not alone

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Genesis 28:10-20

TO CHEW ON: “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Genesis 28:15

Have you ever run for your life? That’s what Jacob was doing. After he tricked his father into giving him Esau’s blessing, Esau wanted to kill him. Rebekah told Jacob to go to Haran, where she grew up. Jacob set out alone

How do you suppose he felt as he walked away from his family and the only home he had ever known?
- Nervous about being attacked by robbers and wild animals?
- Worried about losing his way?
- Lonely and wishing he had someone to talk to?

When it got dark, he stopped walking. He pitched his tent, unrolled his sleeping bag, blew up his air mattress – NOT! He had no tent, sleeping bag, or air mattress. Instead he lay on the ground, under the stars with a stone for his pillow.

After he fell asleep, he dreamed. What things were in his dream (Genesis 28:12-13)

Esau   Angels     Isaac    Heaven     Tent

Stairway    God    Rebekah    Bears   Earth

Jacob's Dream - Artist unknown

Also, in his dream God talked to him. He promised Jacob someday the land he was lying on would be his. He said all people on earth would be blessed through Jacob and his family. And God promised to go everywhere with him. Now Jacob knew he was not alone. God was with him!

PRAYER: Dear God, please go everywhere with me as You went with Jacob. Amen


MORE: Dream Facts

- We dream every night.
- While we dream our eyes dart back and forth.
- A sound or touch while we’re dreaming may become part of our dream.
- Our dreams are often about things we worry about, wish would happen or are afraid of.
- We often don’t remember our dreams.

Though God may speak to us through dreams, usually our dreams don’t predict the future or contain special messages for us.

Tell about a dream you remember.

Find out more about sleep and dreaming here.

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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.

Faith Adventure

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Read Genesis 12:1-7

Abraham journeying into the Land of Canaan by Gustave Dore

TO CHEW ON: "The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you....” So Abram went as the Lord told him." Genesis 12:1,4

People move from one home to another for many reasons. Sometimes they move to find work. Sometimes they move to be close to family. Sometimes they move to experience life in a different city. And sometimes they move just because God tells them to.

One day God talked to a man named Abram. (He was a man who was alive at about the same time as Job.) God told Abram to move – and he did, just because God said so.

He had to have a big faith in God to leave the country he lived in, the city he knew, and even his family. He was 75 when God asked him to do this. That's older than your grandparents! To make it even harder, God didn’t give him a map or a moving truck. He just told Abram and his wife Sarai to pack their stuff and go wherever He would show them.

Abram had herds of goats, flocks of sheep and camels. It wasn't a quick, easy move. Abram did take servants along. But he left most of his family behind.

God promised Abram some good things would happen as a result of his move. How many promises can you find in Genesis 12:2,3? Make a list.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You when we move on Your instructions, we set out on a faith adventure. Amen.


MORE: Moving

Tell or write about a time you moved. If you haven’t moved ask a friend to tell you about their move.

1. Why did you move?
2. How did you move?
3. Where did you move to?
3. What was good about your move?
4. What was hard about your move?
5. In what way was your move a faith adventure for you and your family?

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.

Water Water Everywhere

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Read Genesis 7:24-8:12

Noah welcoming the bird back to the ark - Artist unknown

TO CHEW ON: "But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded." (Genesis 8:1)

Have you ever been stuck in the house for a week because of a snow-storm? You were probably kept at home for weeks to months during the Covid-19 pandemic. Or perhaps you’ve been forced to leave home and stay in a school gym or church basement for a long time because your house was in the way of a forest fire, flood, or tornado. Whatever the reason, it’s hard to stay cooped up in a small space for a long time, isn’t it?

Imagine how Noah and his family felt after the ark’s door was shut and it began to rain. If rain had ever fallen on earth before, it had never come down like this! First the ground was covered. Then the ark began to float. If the ark would have had windows, Noah and his family would have seen first the treetops disappear under water, then the hilltops, then the mountaintops. Can’t you imagine them asking, “Will this never end?”

But it did. After 40 days and nights the rain stopped. After 150 days the water began to go down After 224 days the mountaintops showed again.

In the same way your problems have an end too. Your hard year of school finishes. You make friends in your new home. Your dad gets another job. You recover from a long illness. Just like God remembered Noah, He remembers you.

PRAYER: Dear God thank You for remembering me when I feel like something hard will never end. Thank You for sending Your help just in time. Amen.
 

SECOND HELPING: Weather Calamity

1. What sorts of weather or natural disasters happen where you live?
Floods | Fires | Drought | Insect plagues | Earthquakes | Tsunamis | Tornados | Other _____

2. Have you lived through one of these?

3. What happened?

4. How did it end?

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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.