Give Us This Day (Vol. 6) by Our Daily Bread Ministries

A devotional that explains God â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Word through engaging stories. With devotions that children can connect with and questions to get them thinking and talking, this 31-day devotional will encourage families and their young ones to spend time in Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Word and draw closer to Him.

Give S I H T US DAY ad e r B y l i a Our D s and Kids for Familie

This Book Belongs To:

WRITER S: Chia Poh Fang (CPF), Esther Eio (EE), Sophia Huang (SH), Leslie Koh (LK), Emily Lim-Leh (EL), Jayni Manners (JM), Kimberly Quek (KQ), Shiwei Quek (SQ), Sim Kay Tee (SKT), Ruth Wan-Lau (RW), and Charmaine Weng (CW) EDITORIAL: Asia-Pacific Content Development Team DESIGNER S: Grace Goh, Joshua Tan Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Images used under licence from shutterstock.com

INTRODUCTION These devotions are written specially for children and families. They can be read out loud during family devotional time. Children can also use these devotions for their personal time with the Lord. Through the use of stories and examples, these devotions aim to make the life-changing wisdom of the Bible understandable to children and families, and to challenge them to apply the Word of God to their daily lives. Here are some tips on how to carry out family devotional time using these devotions: • Set aside a specific time every day as family devotional time. • Read the Bible passage out loud. • Read the devotion out loud. • Ask the children to summarize the devotion. • Read the reflection questions out loud. Have a discussion about them. • Summarize the key learning points for everyone. • Pray, asking God to help everyone apply His Word to their lives. As you use this book, we pray that you will enjoy meaningful moments with God and with one another! The Our Daily Bread team

The Toy Story ay Verse of the D, “Watch

them Then he said to guard against ur out! Be on yo d; life does all kinds of gree abundance not consist in an Luke 12:15 of possessions.” —

READ

Luke 12:13–21

sabel was walking with Dad to the supermarket to buy groceries when they passed a toy store. “Daddy! They are selling the Frozen princess toy set! Can you buy it for me? Please? It’s only $20!” Isabel pointed at a toy set featuring characters from her favorite animation movie. “Isabel, you already have a Frozen princess toy set,” Dad said. “But this set is in a different color! Angie has the same one. I want to have the same Frozen toy set as her,” Isabel explained. “I think you already have enough Frozen toys, Isabel,” Dad said firmly. “No! I want this toy, and I want the Frozen game, the Frozen dress, and the Frozen water bottle. Please, Daddy?” Isabel pleaded. “Isabel, you are being greedy,” Dad scolded. “Did you know that Jesus once talked about a greedy rich man who spent all his money on himself? He kept buying more and more things but material

Pra yer possessions don’t last forever. Only what we do for God lasts and matters.” Dad opened up the Bible app on his phone and read Luke 12:13–21 to Isabel. He emphasized: “Jesus said in Luke 12:15: ‘Watch out!

Lord , he to be lp me n ot g poss reedy for essio ns, b be g ut to ener o u othe s t owar rs. ds

Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.’ Now, here’s $20, but choose carefully how you spend it.” Isabel stood at the toy store with the crisp notes in her hand, hesitating. “The Sunday School teachers said we are collecting money for the poor children in India. I’ll bring this to church on Sunday,” Isabel finally said. Daddy beamed and gave Isabel a big hug. “God is very proud of you, and so am I!” —SQ

tion Reflec nt t to be greedy is to wa The dictionary says tha at Wh r. fai or ry n is necessa more of something tha can w ho t, as ntr edy for? In co possessions are you gre ? ek s others this we you be generous toward

r e b m e m e R s y a Alw ay Verse of the D d has

hat Go Come and see w e deeds for done, his awesom 66:5 mankind! —Psalm

READ

Psalm 66:1–7

“M

om, what’s this?” Adeline asked, holding up a gold necklace with a heart-shaped locket. In it was a picture of a baby. Adeline had found the necklace in her mother’s jewelry box which had been left open. Mom smiled. “When you were a wee little baby, only seven days old, you were hospitalized with a high fever. This is a picture from that time.” “Why did you take a picture, Mom?” asked Adeline. “Dad and I were so anxious then. But God assured us not to worry. After we prayed, the fever went away. It was a miracle!” “Why did you put the picture in a necklace, Mom?” “I wanted to remember what God had done for us. It’s just like what the Israelites in the Bible did after God did something amazing for them. Sometimes, they made a pile of memorial stones, like after they reached the promised land (Joshua 4:1–8). Sometimes, they

Pra yer Lord wrote songs, like Psalm 66, which is , help me t alwa about how God brought them out of o ys re mem Your Egypt and parted the Red Sea so they b e awes r o in m y life me deed could cross on dry land as Pharaoh’s s . army chased them. This song invited the Israelites, young and old, to come and see what God has done, so they would always remember His awesome deeds.” “Why did they need to always remember, Mom?” “Remembering God’s awesome deeds in our lives

encourages us to continue to put our trust in Him and follow His ways. It keeps us from complaining or giving up when things aren’t going well. Every time you look at this, remember how God healed you and how awesome He is!” —SH

tion Reflec has mething awesome God Write about or draw so ber you do to always remem done for you. What can ll wi w ho ll, we s aren’t going it? The next time thing ge ura co en u d has done for yo remembering what Go Him? you to trust and follow 7

The Blindfold ay Verse of the Ds a

hate But anyone who is in the er brother or sist ks around darkness and wal 1 John 2:11 in the darkness. —

READ

1 John 2:9–11

ot tears streamed down Anand’s face as he stomped his feet and yelled, “Malika is the worst little sister in the universe!” Mom grabbed Anand and held him close as he let out an angry roar. A few minutes ago, the family had been in the car. Malika had been singing at the top of her lungs. Anand couldn’t stand the noise and got angry, so he punched her arm. That’s when Malika wailed in pain and bit Anand’s leg. Dad had to stop the car to separate the siblings. He took Malika for a walk, while Mom stayed with Anand. When Anand stopped sobbing, Mom asked gently, “Anand, do you remember when Malika put Dad’s sleep mask on the other day?” “Yes,” Anand replied, wiping his tears away. “The sleep mask was like a blindfold over Malika’s eyes. She kept saying, ‘It’s so dark! Where’s the light?’” Mom nodded. “Well, sometimes, anger is like wearing a

Pra yer blindfold. When we are angry, we

can’t see properly. We may do things that aren’t right or say things that aren’t true. It’s like we’re stumbling around in darkness. In fact, 1 John 2:11 says:

Lord ,w angr hen I fee y, I d l ot aren ’t rig hings th at ht a thing s tha nd say t Help aren ’t tru me t e o rea bein lize I . g bli nded am Help by an m ge blind e take o ff thi r. fold. s

‘But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.’” Anand was amazed that God’s Word seemed to connect with what he was going through. That made him feel calmer. “Now,” Mom continued. “Dad will talk to Malika about what she did in the car. But, how about you? Can you reflect on what you’ve done and said, in the light of this Bible passage?” —RW

tion Reflec gry? t time you were really an What happened the las l angry, fee u yo it? The next time How did you deal with r so ge an of ove the blindfold ask God to help you rem y. and respond correctl that you can see clearly 9

h g i R s g n i h T g S pi nn i n

ay Verse of the Dnow I give

and “Look, Lord! Here , sions to the poor es half of my poss t ou y ted anybod and if I have chea pay back four of anything, I will .” —Luke 19:8 times the amount

READ

Luke 19:1–10

“J

oshua, you haven’t gone over to Teck’s house to play Beyblade all week,” Grandpa commented. “I broke his Beyblade launcher. Then we argued,” Joshua said sulkily. “What happened?” Grandpa asked. “I was trying to test out his new launcher but he snatched it back,” Joshua said. “It broke when I refused to let go. I said sorry but he was still angry.” “Hey, why don’t you lend him your new Beyblade launcher?” Grandpa asked. “No way!” Joshua cried. “What if he breaks it?” Grandpa nodded. “You would be really upset if that happened.” “Of course!” Joshua exclaimed. Then, he paused. “That’s what I just did to Teck . . .” Grandpa smiled. “Saying sorry doesn’t make his Beyblade

Pra yer Lord launcher playable again. And didn’t you , give m that also take it without his permission?” is sin e a hear t cerel when Joshua was silent for a while. y sor I do ry some wron “Grandpa, I would like to use my thing g. He l p me repe nt to savings to buy Teck a Beyblade actio for my w ns w rong launcher to replace the one I broke.” ith s gene i n c r o er us ac Grandpa’s smile widened. tions e and . “You know, in Luke 19:8, the

tax collector Zacchaeus was really sorry for taking money that didn’t belong to him. He paid back four times what he took.” Joshua gasped. “You mean I should buy four Beyblade tops for Teck?” Grandpa laughed. “Zacchaeus cheated people, so he wanted to make up for it big-time. Yours was an accident. I think buying Teck a Beyblade top to replace his broken launcher is a sincere and generous apology!” Joshua smiled. “Can we go buy the Beyblades now? I can’t wait to give them to Teck!” —EL

tion Reflec family something wrong to a Have you said or done ow that sh u yo tly? How would member or friend recen your actions? you are truly sorry for 11

l The Giga Pear ay Verse of the Dsure in

trea But we have this that this allow sh jars of clay to is from God and surpassing power Corinthians 4:7 not from us. —2

READ

2 Corinthians 4:7–

hen we think of pearls, we may think of tiny, round balls strung together to make a necklace. But did you know that one of the world’s largest pearls is so huge, it weighs over 27 kg and is shaped like a dinosaur tooth? The Giga Pearl was hidden in a giant clam that had been given to Abraham Reyes’ aunt in 1959 as a gift. When she discovered the pearl inside, she didn’t think much of it, and simply kept it in her home in the Philippines. More than sixty years later, Abraham inherited the pearl from his aunt. When he asked gem specialists to examine it, they made a shocking discovery: The pearl is the largest natural blister pearl in the world, worth over US$60 million! You may think that Abraham is such a lucky man to possess a valuable treasure like the Giga Pearl. But, if you are a follower of

Pra yer Jesus Christ, you possess an even more valuable treasure. Far more valuable than 60 million Giga Pearls! Let me explain: When we say

Lord , I wa nt J to be my L esus ord a Savio nd r. disob I am sorr yf eying You. or

‘‘sorry’’ to God for our sin, which is our disobedience towards Him, and accept Jesus, who is God’s Son, as our Lord and Savior, we gain the most valuable treasure ever: Jesus Himself! Jesus gives us “all-surpassing power . . . from God” (2 Corinthians 4:7). His power enables us to flourish even when we face opposition and difficulties (vv.8–9). Imagine walking around as the lucky owner of the US$60 million Giga Pearl. Then, realize that with Jesus, you can walk around blessed with something much more valuable than the Giga Pearl. —RW

tion c e l f e R 2 Corinthians 4:7–9 to The Apostle Paul wrote d in Corinth that they ha encourage the believers e om Jesus to help them overc the amazing power of ion sit ies. What kinds of oppo opposition and dif ficult us. He Jes to m the ing facing? Br and dif ficulties are you will help you. 13

er k a M r u O e s i a Pr ay Verse of the Dis God. It is

RD Know that the LO and we are his. , us he who made —Psalm 100:3

READ

Psalm 100

“M

om, guess what?” Keith exclaimed as Mom walked through the front door. “Hello, dear! You sound like you have some good news?” Mom put her laptop bag down. “I got the highest score in my class for the Math test!” Keith grinned. Mom clapped her hands. “Congratulations! You seem to have a knack for Math.” “Being a Math genius is only part of the story. I also did lots of practice papers,” Keith said proudly. “Well,” Mom smiled, “good job for putting in so much effort. Have you thanked God for your results?” Keith frowned. “Why should I thank God? I studied hard, and I’m a natural at Math!” Mom looked at her son with surprise. “Keith, what’s the name of

Pra yer Lord that adventure book series you love?” ,w at so hen I do “You mean The Time Travelling meth well ing, I and Detectives by Brandon Messinger? Oh, than prais kY e You have ou, beca he writes the best books, Mom! He’s u e s nabl do w ed m e ell. such a fantastic writer!” e to Mom said: “When a book series is good, we give praise to the author. We recognize that it’s the author that has made the book, its story and its characters, so good. Similarly, when we do good at something, like a Math test, praise should be given to our Maker—God. Psalm 100:3 reminds

us: ‘Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his.’ That means God created you. He gave you the ability, energy, and opportunity to do well in your Math test. We should recognize that He enabled you to do well!” “Well, I guess I should thank God for making me so amazing!” Keith mused mischievously. Mom pinched Keith. “Looks like we need to ask God to make you more humble too, young man!” —RW

tion Reflec God, for d thanking Your Maker, Spend time praising an be in various areas. It could enabling you to do well ed eiv rec e u’v yo or some praise in your studies, spor ts, s. ng thi about small or big from family or friends 15

Embarrassed ay Verse of the D the fore I will celebrate be 6:21 l LORD. —2 Samue

READ

2 Samuel 6:14–

“M

ommy, why do we sing at Sunday School?” Clare asked Mom as they walked out of church towards the parking lot. “I feel embarrassed when I sing, and to make things worse, sometimes, we even do hand actions and dance!” Mom smiled as they got into the car. “Clare, look at this dancing flower that Dad bought.” Mom pointed to the colorful plastic ornament that was swaying back and forth on the car’s dashboard. “Do you know why it sings and dances?” Mom asked. “That’s easy!” Clare replied. “Daddy told me the answer already: This flower is solar-powered. When it receives sunlight, it sings and dances.” “That’s right!” Mom said, nodding. “Similarly, we sing and dance

for God because we have first received love from Him. You could say our singing and dancing is God-powered!” 16

Pra yer Lord Mom continued: “This morning at , help m to fe church, Pastor Chia preached from 2 el em e not barra when Samuel 6 about David dancing before sse I to Yo sing and d the Lord. When David danced with u. d on w Help me ance hat Y to fo all his might, his wife thought he ou h c for m ave d us e. was so embarrassing. But David one emphasized that he was dancing and celebrating before the Lord because of what God had done for him. He was not concerned about what other people thought of him. His dancing was motivated by God, and directed at God too!” “So, what you’re saying is, I should focus more on what God has done for me, and less on what other people are thinking of me?” Clare asked. “Exactly! Hey . . . why don’t we put this into practice right now?” said Mom. She sang a praise song loudly, wiggling her body while her hands were still on the steering wheel. Clare laughed, then decided to join in. —EE

tion Reflec u can has done for You that yo Name some things God the rate. Keep these in mind thank Him for and celeb son rea the is He dance to God. next time you sing and g! sin audience when we we sing, and He is our

nd o y e B d n a y t i n To Infi ay Verse of the Ding rooted

u, be And I pray that yo love, may have in d and establishe how wide and power . . . to grasp d deep is the long and high an hesians 3:17–18 love of Christ. —Ep

READ

Ephesians 3:14–

“M

om, do you know how much I love you?” Caleb asked. “I love you this much!” He stretched his arms out horizontally. “I love you this much!” Mom replied, extending her arms out longer. Mom had read well-loved picture book Guess How Much I Love You? to Caleb many times since he was little. And they always re-enacted how Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare expressed their love for each other. “I love you to the moon and back!” Caleb exclaimed. “I’m supposed to say Big Nutbrown Hare’s final line,” Mom said. “Hey, do you know Jesus loves us even more than that? In Ephesians 3:17–18, the Apostle Paul said, ‘And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the

Pra yer love of Christ.’” “How do you measure that?” Caleb asked. “It’s beyond human measurements. Jesus’ love is so

Lord , help m unde rstan e to dt loves me s hat Jesus o mu He d ied o c n the h that for m cross e.

wide and long that it extends around our entire earth and all the people in it. His love is so high and deep that it reaches from Heaven to the depths of this earth. It’s why He came down from Heaven to earth to die on the cross to take the punishment for our sin, which is our disobedience towards God,” Mom said.

“Wow, that’s a lot of love,” Caleb said. “Yes,” Mom said. “We need to ask God to help us understand and appreciate Jesus’ love for us. His love extends to eternity.” “Mom, I don’t love you to the moon and back anymore,” Caleb’s eyes twinkled. “I love you to infinity and beyond!” —EL

tion Reflec e. ater than any human lov Jesus’ love for us is gre appoint ere human love may dis Think of situations wh fail? Ask a love that will never or fail us. Do you want your life today. Jesus to be the Lord of

ave C r o l a r d e h t Ca ay Verse of the D his God is spirit, and worship t us worshipers m truth. in in the Spirit and —John 4:24

READ

John 4:21–24

eth’s eyes moved from the floor of the cathedral to its marble pillars and towering dome. Standing in the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, he felt so small. “The Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian built this magnificent place of worship 1,500 years ago,” said the tour guide. “Dad,” Seth whispered. “This church is so grand!” “Wait till you see where we are going tomorrow,” Dad replied. Seth was excited. That night, Dad, Mom and Seth took a bus that drove overnight to Goreme, a Turkish town. When he awoke, Seth couldn’t believe his eyes. All around him were soft rock formations in conical shapes rising up from the ground. He had never seen anything like it. That morning, Seth and his family explored churches carved into caves and underground cities in Goreme.

Pra yer Lord “The early Christians escaped here , Yo every u are and made tunnels to hide in when they w to w here. I w were being persecuted for believing orsh ip Yo ant all m u wi in Jesus,” said the tour guide. y wher heart and th ever The cave churches were dark I am mind, . and cramped. “It was much nicer in the Hagia Sophia yesterday, Dad,” said Seth. “Son,” Dad replied, “yesterday’s cathedral was awesome. But, today’s cave churches are not any worse. Do you know what’s truly amazing? The early Christians continued to worship God even when they knew they might be put to death for it. They were doing what Jesus had talked about in John 4:23—

that true worshipers worship God in the spirit and in truth. That means it doesn’t matter if you are in a cathedral or a cave. God can be worshiped anywhere, as long as you worship Him with all your heart and mind!” —SH

tion Reflec d if God only hears your Have you ever wondere ise Him can talk to Him and pra prayers in church? You l, or at oo sch in ere! On the bus, anywhere and every wh the park.

Silly Talk ay Verse of the Dto

hing Don’t have anyt and h do with foolis , because stupid arguments oduce you know they pr othy 2:23 quarrels. —2 Tim

READ

2 Timothy 2:23–

ow many angels can dance on the point of a needle? You might answer, “I don’t know!” or “Is it possible to know?” Apparently, in the Middle Ages, such a question was discussed by scholars of the church. And, nobody could agree on the answer! Here’s another answer you might give: “Is it important for us to know this?” The Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 2:23: “Don’t

have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.” He was advising his young friend, Timothy: Be sensible. Stay away from unimportant or silly discussions that lead to division. Can you think of any silly talk you’ve had recently? Did it grow into a silly quarrel? Here’s a conversation from two children I know: “Benjamin, stop touching my ankle!” “I didn’t touch your ankle, Daniel.” 22

Pra yer Lord “Yes, you did. Your shoe touched my , I do n be q ankle. Stop it!” uarre ot want t o ls me t “My shoe touched your ankle. But o sta ome. Hel p y aw silly ay fr I didn’t. I’m not my shoe!” talk o m t h silly at gr quar ows “Your shoe belongs to you!” rels. into “No, it belongs to Mommy. She bought it. Why don’t you ask her to stop touching your ankle?” “You just stop touching my ankle!” “But I didn’t touch your ankle!” These two children are making a big quarrel over something small. Daniel is sensitive about something that’s unimportant. Benjamin is argumentative with his words. Paul reminds us that God’s people “must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful” (v.24). How do you think heeding Paul’s words might change the conversation between Daniel and Benjamin? How might it change what you talk about this week? —RW

tion c e l f e R ently. or quarrel you’ve had rec Name a silly discussion en be ts how it could have Discuss with your paren t mind Paul’s words to no dif ferent if you kept in not kind, able to teach, and be quarrelsome, to be resentful. 23

I Will Trust Him ay Verse of the De in th Yet I will rejoice yful in jo LORD, I will be God my Savior. —Habakkuk 3:18

READ

Habakkuk 3:17–

atie’s teacher asked her to write a reflection entitled: “My Perfect World”. Katie wrote: “In my perfect world, ice cream is free, lollipops are everywhere, and the sky is blue all the time. And in that world, no one will come home to bad news.” If only that were true, Katie thought and slumped back in her chair. Dad was sick—very sick. He had lost all his hair, and the medical treatments seemed to be making him worse. “Katie, why do you look so sad?” Dad asked weakly, but with a smile. Katie walked over to the armchair where Dad was resting, and held his hands. “Dad, it’s hard to trust in God when you don’t seem to be getting any better.” “You know what?” Dad replied. “There’s a man in the Bible with the same struggle. Things looked grim and there was no visible sign

Pra yer Lord of hope for the future, yet Habakkuk , help m choo said in Habakkuk 3:18, ‘I will rejoice in se to e to trust rejoi the Lord, I will be joyful in God my ce and when in You e ven Savior.’ Do you know why Habakkuk e goes verythin g in wron could say that?” life g. Katie shook her head. Dad plucked a leaf from the flower stalks in the vase beside him and put it in front of Katie’s eyes. “Katie, can you see me?” “No,” Katie replied. “Something as small as a leaf can block your view of me. Similarly, when we put our problem right in front of us, it can

seem big and God can seem absent and very small. But God is much bigger than our problem. The heavens are the works of His fingers, and He holds us in His loving hands. Habakkuk remembered that God is much bigger and he chose to trust and rejoice in Him, no matter what. We can do likewise.” —CPF

tion Reflec God for? you find hard to trust in Are there some things your d is much bigger than Remind yourself that Go s. nd ha u in His loving problems. He holds yo

ace r G s i H y B d e v Sa ay Verse of the D h the roug We believe it is th sus Je grace of our Lord d, just as that we are save :11 they are. —Acts 15

READ

Acts 15:5–11

“I

don’t want to partner with them,” Irene said. “I also don’t want to partner with them,” Jerry said. Irene and Jerry did not want to partner the group of fostered children for their Sunday School lesson. Teacher May was taken aback. “Why are you saying this?” she asked. “They don’t bring their Bibles, so our group will lose points,” Irene explained. “They cannot memorize Bible verses well,” Jerry continued, “so they won’t help us win points.” By then, Teacher May had tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry,” Teacher May began. “I think it was not right for me to give points for bringing the Bible and memorizing verses. These are not what make us Christians. Did you know we were once considered not good enough? At one point, the Jews, the chosen people of God,

Pra yer did not consider us Gentiles, meaning non-Jews, good enough to be saved.” By then, the whole class was silent and listening. “In Acts 15:8, the Apostle Peter spoke up against this, saying that God

Lord , th every ank You th on the u e is save at ndes d by erve of Je d gra sus. ce

knows people’s hearts. Since God accepts the Gentiles because they put their faith in Jesus, they did not need anything further to be considered children of God. Peter said, ‘we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus’ (NLT). If God will accept these fostered children by grace, who are we to exclude them because of manmade rules like bringing the Bible or memorizing verses?” “Teacher May, I can partner the fostered children,” offered Jerry, changing his mind. Irene nodded too. That day, the “Earn Points” chart in Sunday School class came off, and the children received the biggest sticker of all—knowing that they are all saved by God’s grace alone. —EE

tion c e l f e R hly of ? urch you don’t think hig ch in ren ild ch re the e Ar who d ex tends grace to all Why? Remember that Go or less re mo . Nothing makes us believe in Jesus by faith accepted by God. 27

tion c a e R n i a h c y e AK ay Verse of the De poor lends to th Whoever is kind he will reward d to the LORD, an ey have done. them for what th —Proverbs 19:17

READ

Proverbs 22:9

“I

’m so thirsty!” Jon exclaimed as he took his water bottle from Dad at the playground. A lady carrying a bunch of keychains suddenly approached them. Without saying a word, she showed Dad a handwritten card. “Would you like to pick a keychain?” Dad asked Jon as he took out his wallet. Jon was heading back to the monkey bars, but turned around to look at the keychains. “How about this dog?” He pointed to a pink dog made of fabric. It had some beads for its collar, and buttons for its eyes. After accepting the money, the lady kept nodding and signing with her free hand to express her gratitude. As she walked away, Jon looked puzzled. “Dad, what did the card say? Why did we buy a keychain?” “The card said that she can’t talk,” Dad answered. “But she can

Pra yer Lord sew, and we can support her by buying , sh can b ow me h one of her handmade keychains.” ow I e espe kind to o “Why can’t she talk?” Jon looked cially thers , to th e po concerned. or. “I don’t know, son,” Dad shrugged. “But I know that we can help her.” “But we don’t even know her!” Jon replied with a frown.

“When we show compassion, especially to those in need, be it a friend or stranger, we do it for God because we love Him and we know He loves them too!” Dad smiled and added, “Proverbs 19:17 says that whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have done.” Jon beamed brightly. “When we love God by being kind to others, God is pleased with us and will bless us? Then we can continue blessing others?” “That’s right!” Dad replied. “Looks like you’ve found the key to the chain reaction!” —CW

tion Reflec ? o has less than you have Do you know anyone wh your in c helper or the helpers How about your domesti m? the n you show kindness to neighborhood? How ca

One Body ay Verse of the Ddy with

e bo Each of us has on d these an , rs many membe all have the members do not Romans 12:4 same function. —

READ

Romans 12:4–8

“I

t’s not fair!” En complained. “I don’t want to feed the dog. The dog food is disgusting.” “But we all have to help so the house can run smoothly,” replied Mom. “It’s your turn today. Your siblings feed the dog every other day.” En sulkily got out the dog food to feed her pet dog, Rex. But because she was dragging her feet, she stubbed her big toe on the door. “Ouch!” she cried, as blood started dripping from her toenail. “Are you okay?” Mom asked. “No,” En replied. Mom got out the plasters. “You know, hurting your toe has sent pain throughout your body. A small part of the body can affect the whole body. It’s like that with your chores. If you don’t do your chores, it will affect the whole family.”

Pra yer Lord Mom continued: “And, it’s also , than kY I am like that with the body of Christ, the a par ou that t of Y body church. At the church’s music ministry ou .E a sm ven thou r retreat last weekend, we reflected all gh I am the w part, I c an af hole on Romans 12:4–6 which says we fe body me t , so h ct o he all have different functions and lp w e lp and here to do I gifts, yet we form one body, and c a so w attitu ith a n de. joyfu we belong to each other. The l person who leads songs needs the person who plays the guitar. Both of them need the person who sets up the microphones and sound monitors. We all play different

roles, but when we do what God has for us to do, the church works together to bring glory to Him. If someone doesn’t do their part, it affects the whole church.” “How do I know what I can do to help in the church?” En asked. “We can ask your Sunday School teacher what help she may need from you,” Mom responded. “That’s always a good place to start.” —JM

tion Reflec lievers u belong to the other be As a believer in Jesus, yo help to d en n you do this week in your church. What ca rs? sto chers, friends, and pa your Sunday School tea

g Keep On Sowin ay Verse of the Dollos , Ap I planted the seed has d Go t watered it, bu . ow been making it gr 6 —1 Corinthians 3:

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1 Corinthians 3:5–

or more than 40 years, Frank Jenner had been telling people about Jesus daily. It was something he pledged to do after he became a Christian and God had changed his life dramatically. Every day, he went to George Street in Sydney, Australia, and asked at least 10 strangers walking by: “Excuse me, sir, are you saved? If you died tonight, would you go to heaven?” Some of the strangers would listen. Many walked away. Some got angry at his questions. But none ever came back to say they had become a Christian because of what he said. Frank seemed to be wasting his time. One day, however, a pastor turned up at his house. He had been hearing many stories about how people had come to the Lord after a “little white-haired man on George Street” asked them two questions that disturbed them and made them think about eternal life.

Pra yer Lord It was then that Frank realized , give m cour that many, many people had come age t e the ot abou to Jesus because of him. Hearing t Jes ell other us, k that nowi s this, he broke down in tears of joy. You w ng i hear ts an ll touch t Have you been telling your heir d cha lives nge . friends about Jesus but feel like their no one’s responding? Or, have you been afraid to tell people about Jesus, worrying they won’t listen to you? In 1 Corinthians 3:5–9, Paul likens sharing the good news to farming. It involves some people who plant, and others who water it. But ultimately it is “God, who makes things grow” (v.7). Even when we may not see the results of

our sharing of the gospel, we can be sure that God will touch people’s hearts in His way and His time. We just have to do our part, by sharing the Good News of Jesus with others. —LK

tion Reflec will you t Jesus this week? What Who can you tell abou th you? erested or get angr y wi do if they don’t seem int

Not a Burden ay Verse of the D d him and lieve But to all who be gave the right he , accepted him ren of God. to become child ) —John 1:12 (NLT

READ

John 1:12–14

“E

lias, what’s wrong?” Mom asked. Elias was looking glum while patting Taffy the dog. “Mom, is it true that we are not to follow the world, but only follow God and His rules?” Elias said grumpily. “But, Mom, I’m just a kid. Following God feels like a big burden.” Mom began patting the dog too. Taffy looked happily at Mom and Elias, and licked their fingers gratefully. Finally, Mom said, “Elias, do you remember when we first saw Taffy at the dog adoption center?” Elias nodded. “Yes, he looked miserable and cold in the steel cage.” “Well,” Mom said, “if you were an orphan who is miserable and cold in an orphanage, and a loving king came one day and chose you to be his son, would you reject him?”

Pra yer “No, I’d be happy and follow him,” Elias said, then added: “Just like Taffy, when we adopted him into our family.” “That’s right!” Mom said. “John

Lord , th maki ank You for ng m eap Your a rt fa see t mily. Hel of p me he jo y of f You ollow and Your rules ing .

1:12 tells us that ‘to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.’ God has adopted us into His family. As the child of a loving and powerful King, wouldn’t it be a joy to follow Him and His rules, not a burden?”

Elias’ eyes lit up. “That’s a bit like Taffy too. He knows we love him very much, so he’s happy to follow our rules. Right, Taffy?” Taffy snuggled up to Elias for a belly rub. “Thanks, Mom!” Elias said. “I think I understand following God better now. It’s not a burden. It’s a joy!” —RW

tion Reflec ‘‘don’ts’’. out a list of ‘‘dos’’ and Following God is not ab with a in a family relationship Rather, it’s about being a joy? u see following God as loving God. How can yo

oney H t e e w S , t e e Sw ay Verse of the D

are a Gracious words t to the honeycomb, swee to the bones. soul and healing —Proverbs 16:24

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Proverbs 16:24

hloe’s and Jaden’s eyes lit up as they noticed the jug of fresh lemonade Grandma had made. They raced to the dining table and reached for it. “Me first!” Jaden yelled. “Why are you always first? Stop being so selfish!” Chloe complained. “You are such a meanie,” Jaden growled as he reached over Chloe’s outstretched arm and poured a cup of lemonade. Chloe rolled her eyes as she poured her own cup of lemonade and took a sip. “Yucks!” Both children made faces as they set the glasses back on the table. Grandma walked into the dining room from the kitchen with a bottle of honey and examined their faces. “Oh, I see you’ve tried the lemonade. I haven’t added the honey yet!”

Pra yer Lord She mixed in the honey and poured , help m say k the sweetened lemonade for the ind w e to ords enco children. that ur the p age and “Ah, much better!” Jaden smiled de eo show ple arou light nd m ing t in contentment. hem e, them I lov . Grandma gently said, “Did I e hear both of you calling each other names and putting each other down? Proverbs 16:24 says: ‘Gracious words are a

honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.’ This means our words have impact. So let’s use words that encourage and delight others, and show them we love them. Just as honey makes lemonade much sweeter, so kind words make life much sweeter. Just think: wouldn’t you prefer life to be sweet, not sour?” Jaden and Chloe looked meekly at each other and said, “Sorry.” “I’ll let you be first the next time,” Jaden said as he drank the rest of the lemonade. “Thank you. I’ll let you be the first too!” Chloe smiled happily. —SQ

tion Reflec your us thing you can say to Think about one gracio ay. Then, say it! parents or siblings tod 37

ion s s i M , r e t s a M Mates, ay Verse of the Dt is

id, “I The LORD God sa an to be m e th not good for e a helper alone. I will mak .” suitable for him 18 —Genesis 2:

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Genesis 2:15–25

“M

om, why do girls get boyfriends?” Michelle had just bounced into the house from school. She had made some new friends in class. Mom raised an eyebrow. She was used to Michelle’s random questions, but this was an unusual one. “Why are you asking?” Michelle blushed. “One of my friends mentioned boyfriends because there’s this new guy at school today, and he’s cool!” “Why is he cool?” Mom asked. “Well . . .” Michelle couldn’t find the right words. “I guess he’s a lot less nerdy than the other guys.” Mom laughed. “So, are all the girls trying to talk to him?” Michelle rolled her eyes. “Please! That would be so uncool. Was Dad your boyfriend once?” Mom nodded. “Yes, of course. But I didn’t like him just because he was cool. It was because I saw that we had many common

Pra yer interests and values. We both love God, and I saw how we both can serve God together.” Michelle looked mystified, so Mom explained: “God gave us

Lord , th marr ank You iage. for M pare nts b ay my em a com mon ates on You, miss their ion f or Mast er.

marriage for companionship as well as to work together for His purpose. We are like mates on a common mission for the Master. That’s why in Genesis 2:18, when God made woman, He said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him’.” “So you’re to help Dad with work?” asked Michelle. Mom nodded. “I suppose you could say that. But the ‘work’ we do together is what God gives us to do—like having and raising you.” Then, she added, to Michelle’s laughter, “But Dad still has to do the dishes later!” —LK

tion Reflec ostle . In that passage, the Ap Read Ephesians 5:31–32 else at 4 then goes fur ther. Wh Paul quotes Genesis 2:2 age in these verses? does he say about marri

e Heaven ’s Hop ay Verse of the Dd of the d an The throne of Go e city, and th Lamb will be in serve him. his servants will —Revelation 22:3

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5 Revelation 22:1–

yna sneezed as she flipped through a travel magazine at the clinic while waiting to see the doctor. “Look at these amazing beaches in Hawaii . . . Ma, will we ever go there?” “Well, we don’t have a lot of money,” Ma replied. “Pa works hard as a technician, and we save up whatever we can. Maybe we’ll be able to afford going to Hawaii one day.” Lyna nodded. Ma added: “But, there’s one beautiful place I can guarantee we’ll definitely go.” Lyna’s face brightened. “Where?” “Heaven!” Ma answered. “Heaven is more amazing than any of these places in this magazine.” She showed Lyna the Bible, which she had been reading while sitting next to Lyna. “Revelation 22:3 says that in heaven, ‘No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God

Pra yer and of the Lamb will be in the city.’ This means Jesus will make everything perfect in heaven. We will never fall sick there.” Lyna sneezed again. “Wow! But, Ma, can we afford it?” Ma smiled. “We don’t have to pay to go to heaven, Lyna. Jesus

Lord , th Jesus ank You fo w price ho paid r t h fo when r us so t e hat we b eliev as ou ei r we a Lord and n Him re Sa to he guarante vior, aven ed to . go

has already paid the price for us! He died for us on the cross to take away our sins. When we say ‘sorry’ to God for our sins, which is our disobedience to Him, and believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become part of God’s family and heaven is our final and guaranteed destination.”

Lyna looked curious. “Ma, can I see pictures of heaven?” Ma laughed. “Unfortunately not. But the Bible describes it in

Revelation 21 and 22. Want to put that travel magazine down and read about what heaven is like with me?” Lyna nodded eagerly. —LK

tion Reflec d 22. Imagine Read Revelation 21 an of it! like, and draw a picture

what heaven looks

The Paying ay Verse of the D

price God paid a high be t n’ for you, so do world. enslaved by the 23 (NLT) —1 Corinthians 7:

READ

Galatians 3:13–

little boy dashes into a shop full of fragile items. He bumps into a row of porcelain vases, causing them to crash to the floor. Then, he knocks into a shelf of glass bowls, smashing them to pieces! The shop manager looks at the boy fiercely. Pointing to a sign at the front of the shop, he says: “If you break it, you buy it.” What would you be thinking, if you were that boy? Perhaps: “I’ve done something wrong! I’m in big trouble!” Maybe you’d burst into tears, scared and ashamed. But, what if, all of a sudden, a man approaches the shop manager, takes out his wallet, and pays for everything you broke? He says to you: “You may have done the breaking, but I’ll do the paying.” What would you be thinking then? Perhaps: “Thank goodness! I’m no longer in trouble!” Or: “Who’s this generous man? I deserve to be punished, and I’m so grateful 42

Pra yer for his kindness!” Did you know that all of us are like that boy in the shop? We have all done wrong things that deserve God’s punishment. The Bible calls that sin.

Lord , I de se puni shme rve Your nt, an I’m g d ra kind teful for ne Yo by ha ss in sav ur ing m ving e Jesus the c ross die o to sa n ve m e.

Jesus is like that generous man: We may have done the sinning, but Jesus did the paying. He paid for our sins by dying on the cross. He took away the punishment we deserve. That’s why 1 Corinthians 7:23 says God “paid a high price for you”. God bore the cost of our sins. Did we deserve that? No! Should we be grateful for it? Yes! Let’s spend a moment thanking God for His generous act of saving us. —RW

tion Reflec vior? We us as your Lord and Sa Have you accepted Jes not take us did the paying. Why did the sinning, but Jes Lord and ask Him to be Your a moment to thank Him and Savior today? 43

Seeds and Soil ay Verse of the Dil stands

so The seed on good ble and good no a for those with it, the word, retain heart, who hear . op g produce a cr and by perseverin —Luke 8:15

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Luke 8:4–8, 11–

larice couldn’t wait to go to school to see the results of her Science project. A week earlier, she had placed green beans into four seed jars filled with four different types of soil—dry clay, rock, mud, and garden compost. “Mom, look!” Clarice exclaimed as she carried the jars home. Only the seeds in the jar with garden compost had germinated into young sprouts. “Do you know why the seeds in the other jars didn’t germinate?” Mom asked. “Because the type of soil determines if the seeds will grow or not. The other jars had dry clay, rock, and mud in them. Seeds can’t germinate in those types of soil,” Clarice answered with confidence. “That’s right,” Mom said, patting Clarice on the shoulder. “In

Luke 8:4–8, our Lord Jesus used this scientific truth to teach us 44

Pra yer Lord about how we are to listen to God’s , I wa nt to good Word. He told a story of a farmer be soil. I wan the read who planted seeds in the ground. t th t day, a e Bible e o very And only those seeds that fell nd re flect appl yt on a on good soil grew into plants nd so th he truths at I m I that bore fruits. The seed is the ay be learn, for Y ou. ar fru Word of God. The seed on good it soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the Word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.” “Mom, I want to have a noble and good heart to receive God’s Word. What must I do?” Clarice asked. Opening her Bible, Mom read Acts 17:11, then said, “Follow the Berean’s example by reading and reflecting on God’s Word every day. Apply the truths you learn. Then, your life will bear fruit for God. Be excited about God’s Word, just like how you were excited about your Science project!” —SKT

tion Reflec every il” is to read a devotion One way to be “good so en, Bible passage listed. Th day. Start by reading the this jot down the answers to read the devotion and lf, or His learnt about God, myse I ve ha t ha “W n, tio es qu yer. devotion time with pra plans today? ” End your 45

Hi s Power ay Verse of the Dthe

to He gives strength s the se weary and increa k . . . those power of the wea LORD will who hope in the :29,31 ngth. —Isaiah 40 renew their stre

READ

Isaiah 40:28–31

“H

ow was your Math exam?” Dad asked. “It was very, very, very tough,” Ben moaned. He was speaking to Dad while playing his favorite handheld game to relax for a while, before starting to study for tomorrow’s Chinese exam. Suddenly, the screen of his game console went blank. “Out of battery again!” Ben complained. After attaching a wire to the game console to charge it, he opened a bag of potato chips and began stuffing chips into his mouth. Dad could tell Ben was stressed and exhausted from exam preparation. Gently, he removed the bag of chips from Ben’s clutches: “You know, Ben, when a handheld game console is low on battery power, it needs charging. In the same way, we need charging. We need to be charged with power.” “With the power of potato chips?” Ben asked mischievously.

Pra yer “No,” Dad said, smiling. “With the power of God! Isaiah 40:28–29

Lord , Yo stren u give gth t o tho are t se ire I wan d and we who ar t pray to spend y. ing a t ime nd Word so th reading Y a o in Yo u an t I will h ur d o pe ‘‘char with g Your powe e up’’ r.

tells us that God is never tired or weary, and He gives strength to those who are. He is the ultimate power source. A game or a bag of chips may give us some relaxation or comfort, but such material things don’t provide us with the power we need. Isaiah 40:30–31 says: ‘Even youths

grow tired and weary . . . but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.’ God knows that even young people can get stressed and exhausted. We need to spend time praying and reading His Word to strengthen our hope in Him and get ‘charged’ with His power. Want to do that with me now?” Ben nodded eagerly and ran to get his Bible. —RW

tion c e l f e R en those sed and exhausted? Wh es str l fee u yo do en Wh time or t not to reduce your times come, make an eff praying e tim tead, increase your spent with God, but ins th you. wi s Ask someone to do thi and reading His Word. 47

est B r u o Y d o G e Giv ay Verse of the Dyou

are [Jesus said:] “Why e has done Sh bothering her? to me.” a beautiful thing —Mark 14:6

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Mark 14:1–9

“K

irsten, can you stop reading your storybook in the bathroom? We need to go soon!” Mom said. A few seconds later, Kirsten came out of the bathroom looking grumpy. “I still want to read my book! Do we really need to go to church so early just to practice singing songs?” Dad turned to Kirsten. “Yes. We are leading the church in singing praise songs today, so we need to practice well to give our best to God.” “But who cares if we practice well or not? Most people won’t even appreciate our singing! It’s a waste of time to practice so hard!” Kirsten grumbled. Dad sat the family down and read Mark 14:1–9 out loud. A woman poured expensive perfume on Jesus and many felt she was being wasteful. “But Jesus said that she had done a beautiful thing,” Dad said. “The woman gave something extremely valuable to Jesus.

Pra yer She was focusing on pleasing Jesus, not others.” Dad continued: “Likewise, when

we serve Jesus, we should focus on pleasing Him by giving Him our best—our best practicing and singing. It’s not a waste to give God our best, even if others don’t appreciate what we’re doing.”

Lord , help me t my b og est t o You, servi ive even ng w othe rs do hen n’ appr eciat t seem to e it.

Kirsten looked at Dad and Mom. “You’re right, Dad. As long as God is pleased, it’s worth doing. Quick, let’s go! Let’s get to church early to practice singing!” Dad smiled. “Okay, but eh . . . wait just a moment! It’s my turn to use the bathroom now, but don’t worry, I promise I won’t read any storybooks in there!” —EE

tion Reflec time, u serve God with your What are some ways yo best ur yo in ns? Do you put money, words and actio the ild bu God? How can you effor t when you serve th your best? habit of serving God wi

Confess It ay Verse of the Dy bones

,m When I kept silent en I Th . . . wasted away n to you . . . si y acknowledged m the guilt And you forgave 32:3,5 of my sin. —Psalm

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Psalm 32:3–5

ylan was helping Mom heat up leftover beef stew for dinner. He scooped the cold stew into a microwavable dish, then covered it with cling wrap tightly. “Poke holes in the cling wrap,” Mom advised, “to allow the steam to escape. If too much steam is trapped inside, the whole dish may explode.” Mom flipped through Dylan’s Science file while waiting for the stew to heat up. “You got full marks for all your Science worksheets in the past two weeks! Congratulations!” Mom hugged Dylan. But, a lump formed in his throat. That evening, Mom told Dad about Dylan’s worksheets. Then, Dad told Grandma, who told Grandpa. Everyone praised Dylan. I wish they would stop praising me. They don’t know I’ve done something wrong, he thought. Dylan had recently gotten into the

Pra yer Lord habit of arriving in school early every , I wa nt to conf morning to copy the answers from his ess t o my p and classmates’ worksheets. to aren ts have You whe Just then, he heard Dad nI done wron some g. th reading the Bible during family forgi I know Y ing ou w ve m devotions: “When I kept silent, my e. ill bones wasted away . . . Then I acknowledged my sin to you . . . And you forgave the guilt of my sin.” Dad explained the verses: “When we know we have

done something wrong, and do not confess it, we could feel so guilty, it makes us miserable. But, when we confess, God forgives and our guilt disappears.” Dylan thought about the holes he had poked in the cling wrap when he was heating up the stew; he longed for a way to release the misery he felt inside, or he felt like he might explode. “Can anyone share a personal example of feeling guilty?” Dad asked. Bravely, Dylan raised his hand, and began to talk. —RW

tion Reflec or done we have been dishonest Of ten, we know when ss it. nfe co we may hesitate to something wrong. But ts and ren pa nfess today, to your What do you need to co takes away our guilt. God? God forgives and 51

God Forgave ay Verse of the D mpassion ve co You will again ha d our sins ea tr on us; you will rl all our underfoot and hu e depths of iniquities into th 7:19 the sea. —Micah

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Micah 7:18–20

“S

ean tore the cover of my Combat Aircraft magazine!” Jason said as he stormed angrily into the room. “I’m sure your brother didn’t do it on purpose,” Mom said sympathetically. “I don’t care! Last week, he lost my new pen and stained my favorite T-shirt!” “I remember him apologizing to you for those incidents. I thought you’d forgiven him?” Mom asked. “Well, maybe I didn’t completely forgive him. He doesn’t deserve forgiveness again and again and again!” There was an awkward silence as Jason’s words hung in the air. Mom finally broke it. “Do you remember the nature documentary you two watched over the weekend? There was a segment on the deepest point of the ocean, where light doesn’t penetrate. How deep was it?”

Pra yer “Eleven kilometers,” Jason answered. “Mount Everest would fit into the deepest point of the ocean with more than a kilometer to spare. But, what’s that got to do with Sean and me?” “Well, Micah 7:19 says ‘You

Lord , than k You that You f orgiv my s e ins comp towards le Y forgi tely. Hel ou p me ve ot hers to forgi li ve, a gain ke You and and again again .

will again have compassion on us.’ The nation of Israel repeatedly disobeyed God. Yet, when they repented, God repeatedly forgave them. And His forgiveness is so complete, Micah says God hurls ‘our iniquities into the depths of the sea’. It’s pitch black down there! That means: God forgave our sin completely when His Son Jesus died for us on the cross. And now, God gives those who believe in Him the Holy Spirit to help them forgive others. The question is, will you let Him help you forgive Sean completely?” —KQ

tion c e l f e R you say e someone, what would If you completely forgiv s him? ard would you behave tow to that person and how eness giv ber God’s complete for Take a moment to remem the ‘‘sorry’’ to Him, then ask of your sin when you say . forgive others completely Holy Spirit to help you 53

For the Lord ay Verse of the Dk at , wor Whatever you do art, as he it with all your Lord. working for the —Colossians 3:23

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Colossians 3:23–

“H

ow did today’s special soccer practice go?” Dad asked Lance as he entered the kitchen. “Oh, it was awesome!” Lance exclaimed. The national soccer team coach had come to watch Lance’s school soccer team that afternoon. Lance and his soccer mates had been practicing hard for the past two weeks so that they could be ready for the coach, who had been a famous national soccer player when he was younger. “Everybody played extra well today, and the coach said he was impressed!” Lance shared proudly. “Ah, if only you’d work that hard practicing for your English test that is coming up in two weeks!” Dad sighed dramatically and winked at Lance. “Aw, Dad,” Lance whined. “I’m naturally good at soccer, and naturally bad at English. There’s a difference!”

Pra yer

“And yet,” Dad said, smiling, “God’s

Word tells us in Colossians 3:23 that whatever we do, we are to work at it with all our heart, as working for the Lord. ‘Whatever we do’ includes playing soccer and studying, Lance.”

Lord , help m unde rstan e to d mo what re it me ans t fully for Y ou. o stu dy

Dad continued, “Think of it this way: why did you put in extra effort practicing for soccer?” “Because I was practicing for the national soccer coach?” Lance answered. “Right,” Dad said. “Similarly, if we know that we’re studying for the one and only Almighty God, how would we study? Wouldn’t we put in extra effort and do our best, because we know it’s Him we’re studying for? And wouldn’t this apply to everything we do, including the things we think we’re naturally bad at?” —RW

tion Reflec are to r best for the Lord, we In addition to doing ou de me. How has your attitu trust God for the outco n? ged after today’s devotio towards studying chan 55

r o p a V t n a g o The Arr ay Verse of the Dknow what even Why, you do not orrow. What is will happen tom e a mist that your life? You ar e while and appears for a littl James 4:14 then vanishes. —

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James 4:13–17

hen Alyssa returned home from school one day, her face was glum. “What’s wrong?” Mom asked. “My friend Linda asked me today which secondary schools I’ll be applying for. I told her that I’ve some schools in mind, but I’m praying about it. She looked at me with disgust and said I should be the master of my own life. I’m confused.” “Let me tell you a story,” Mom said. “Once, there was a Vapor who dreamed of becoming rich. So, he began to plan. He said to himself: ‘Now, now, what shall I do? Hmm . . . The richest people are businessmen, so I will go into business! Where shall I start my business? There’s no better place than at Vanity Fair. Opportunities abound there. And, how long should I do business there? Three years sounds about right!’ As Vapor penned down his thoughts, he got really excited.

Pra yer Lord ‘I shall move to Vanity Fair today!’ , help me t depe Just then, the sun came up, and o nd o n and poof! The vapor vaporized.” to se You alwa ek Yo y all o ur w s f my Mom continued: “Does this story ill in plan s. sound familiar?” “Yes,” Alyssa said, “it sounds like it’s based on what we read in James 4:13–17 during family devotions.” Mom nodded. “Yup. James 4:14 says we are like vapors that

appear for a little while and then vanish. Our lives are short and we can’t control how long we will live for. So, James encourages us to include God in all our plans. For only God knows. He is the true Master of our lives. We ought to ask Him to guide us.” A smile broke across Alyssa’s face. “Thanks, Mom! I don’t want to be like the arrogant Vapor. Can you pray with me as I seek God’s will on which secondary schools to apply for?” —CPF

tion Reflec ways ke your plans? List three How do you usually ma them out! your plans. Then, carry you can include God in

ic l b u P n i g n i y a Pr ay Verse of the D down

look Don’t let anyone u are young, yo e on you becaus ple for the but `set an exam , in ch, in life, in love believers in spee y. —1 Timothy 4:12 faith and in purit

READ

1 Timothy 4:12–

“M

om, do you mind if I don’t go to Sunday School this weekend?” Amy asked. “What’s wrong, Amy? Are you sick?” Mom replied. “No, it’s just that I’ve been rostered to pray in front of all the primary schoolers, and I don’t want to,” Amy replied. “Oh,” Mom said. “I remember when I had to pray in public for the first time. I was very nervous too.” “I’m only seven years old, Mom!” Amy blurted out. “There are lots of children in Sunday School who are older. They’ll all laugh at me.” Mom knelt down and gave Amy a hug. “Remember, praying to God is the greatest privilege in the world. Don’t focus on what other people might think of you. Focus on talking to your heavenly Father.” Mom continued: “You may be younger than others in Sunday School, but 1 Timothy 4:12 says: ‘Don’t let anyone look down

on you because you are young.’ The Apostle Paul wrote these 58

Pra yer words to his young friend, Timothy, to encourage him to be a good example to other believers, who were older than him. You too can be a good example to others.

Lord , al youn though I g, he lp m am be a e to good exam othe rs, ev ple t en w o nerv hen ous. I’m

Don’t look down on yourself, Amy! Shall we write out your prayer, so that you won’t forget what you’d like to say? Shall we work on it together?” Amy looked at Mom’s encouraging eyes, and nodded. I can do this, Amy thought. I can be the good example that God would want me to be. —JM

tion Reflec le, by ple, even to older peop You can be a good exam at can means to follow God. Wh showing them what it that you rents and other adults you do to show your pa week? are following God this

eep l S ’t n s e o D d Go ay Verse of the D ur He will not let yo ho w foot slip—he u watches over yo r. be um sl will not —Psalm 121:3

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Psalm 121

“S

on, is everything okay?” Dad asked when he noticed that Theo was unusually quiet over dinner. “I haven’t been sleeping well,” Theo said. “Did something happen?” Dad asked. “Joshua copied my Chinese homework,” Theo said as he chopped up the asparagus on his plate furiously. “I said that he shouldn’t do that. I also told him that my Chinese isn’t good, so he could be copying my mistakes. When he heard that, he got upset and punched me.” Dad tried to keep a calm face. “Have you told your teacher about this?” “No,” Theo said as he moved the rice in circles on his plate. “I don’t know how.” “Would you like me to speak to her?” Dad asked. “No way!” Theo exclaimed. “But I know what I would like to do to Joshua,” he said as he poked his pork chop angrily.

Pra yer Lord “I know what you mean,” Dad said. , than kY Your “It’s no fun being bullied. You know, prote ou for ction me a I have a favorite Psalm in the Bible t all over time me t s. He that reminds me that I can look to o res lp t and anxi not b ous, God for help. Psalm 121:3 says: k e nowi You ng ne ‘He will not let your foot slip—he watc ver sleep that h ove and who watches over you will not You r me cons tantl slumber.’” y. “So, God has sleeping problems too?” Theo asked with a weak smile. Dad laughed. “God doesn’t sleep because He watches over us 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Why don’t we start by praying for you to get a good night’s sleep?” “Okay,” Theo said. “Can we also pray for God to guide me on how I can tell my teacher about this?” “Yes, let’s pray together after dinner,” Dad said. “Now, please stop attacking your dinner! I prepared it with love!” —EL

tion Reflec over inder that God watches Read Psalm 121 as a rem seen you tances where God has our lives. List a few ins nts in your life. through dif ficult mome

ry o t S ’s a m d n a Gr ay Verse of the D mends

com One generation other; they an your works to y acts. tell of your might —Psalm 145:4

READ

Psalm 145:3–7

hen Wee Jin Neo was young, a fortune teller said she would have a serious illness at 70, and not be able to talk or walk. When Jin Neo reached her 70s, she fell seriously ill and was sent to the hospital. The doctors tried to save her, but she slipped into a coma. Her youngest daughter, Florence, spoke to her while she was in a coma: “Mama, pray to Jesus. He will help you.” At that moment, Jin Neo sat up and said, “Yes, Jesus hears me. He is helping me!” Then, she fell back into a coma. After several days, Jin Neo’s condition grew worse. But one day, Florence found her mother sitting upright on the hospital bed. “How do I receive Jesus as my Lord?” Jin Neo asked. While in the coma, Jin Neo had seen herself sitting outside hell’s gates, bound in chains. Terrified, she began to call on all the gods

Pra yer Lord she knew, but none came to her rescue. , You ar and Finally, she remembered Jesus and most e great wort prais called on His name. At that moment, hy o e! all Yo Thank Yo f her chains disappeared and she u for u our l r mighty ives. work awoke from the coma. s in Jin Neo passed away a few months later but not before she fully recovered and walked again, proving the fortune teller wrong. Isn’t this an amazing story? I grew up listening to my mother, Florence, tell this story of God’s mighty work in my grandmother Jin Neo’s life. And now, I tell it to my children. As Psalm 145:4

encourages us: let’s listen eagerly to God’s mighty works in the lives of people from the older generation, and tell these stories to our future generation! —SH

tion Reflec t what ts or grandparents abou ren pa n tia ris Ch ur yo k As their in the past. Write down God has done for them them ss pa d remember them an stories so that you can ion. on to the next generat 63

ly l a u q E s e v o L He ay Verse of the Dere

w For all of you who t have ris Ch baptized into with Christ. es clothed yourselv —Galatians 3:27

READ

Galatians 3:26–

“W

hich one is Aaron? Everyone looks the same!” Ashley squinted her eyes. It was the end of Ashley’s older brother’s first day at primary school. All the boys and girls were dressed in maroon shirts and black shorts, and wore the same shoes. “Great and small, we stand as one! Onward, forward as one!” the boys and girls sang the school song in unity. “School is dismissed! See you tomorrow!” said the teacher. Mom and Ashley looked around for Aaron. Finally, a familiar face ran up to them. “Mom! Ashley!” called Aaron, grinning widely. “Why must you wear a uniform, Aaron? I couldn’t find you!” said Ashley. “My teacher says we must all wear the same attire. There are many people from different races and countries in this school.

Pra yer Lord Some of us may be richer, some more , th lovin ank You intelligent, but she will treat us for g You r chi equa equally as her students. The uniform l d lly b ren ecau died se Je helps remind us that we are united for e sus ach o f us. as one,” said Aaron. “Isn’t that something like what you learnt last week in Sunday School?” added Mom. “All those who believe in Jesus ‘wear’ Him, like a uniform. Galatians 3:27 says we who have trusted in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior are children of God through faith.

When God sees us, He sees us clothed in Christ, just like how we see Aaron clothed in a uniform. God doesn’t treat us better because we are richer or smarter. He loves us equally because Jesus died for each of us.” “We are all His children, just like how you love me and Aaron the same!” chirped Ashley. “Yes, Ashley,” said Mom, giving them both a hug. —SH

tion Reflec use people dif ferently, beca Do you sometimes treat ren ild ch s Hi es arter? God lov they may be richer or sm ople pe d’s Go e an for you to lov equally. What does it me equally today?

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