The Berean Bookshelf

Tag: Old Testament

  • A Happy Ending: Genesis 3:14-15

    A Happy Ending: Genesis 3:14-15

    A Happy Ending: An Old Testament Devotion for the Anxious Covenant Child’s Heart

    The LORD God said to the serpent,

    “Because you have done this,

    cursed are you above all livestock

    and above all beasts of the field;

    on your belly you shall go,

    and dust you shall eat

    all the days of your life.

    I will put enmity between you and the woman,

    and between your offspring and her offspring;

    he shall bruise your head,

    and you shall bruise his heel.”

    Different people love different kinds of stories. Some people love mysteries. Others want to read love stories or adventure stories or stories that have both! My son likes scary stories, while my daughter likes fantasy with magical adventures. No matter what kind of story you’re reading, however, there’s usually a part in most stories called the “black moment.”

    The “black moment” is the part of the story when everything seems hopeless for the story’s hero. Every bad thing that could happen has happened, and there seems to be no way for things to get better. Everything feels lost.

    Adam and Eve had a “black moment” in real life. God’s enemy, Satan, had come to them, looking like a snake, to test them to see if he could get them to betray God. After eating the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil—the fruit God had commanded them not to eat—Adam and Eve seemed to be in a hopeless place. Everything felt lost after Adam sinned.

    And for them, everything was lost.

    They had become sinners, and all their children would be sinners as well. In betraying God, Adam and Eve had lost their friendship with Him. And because of Adam’s sin, the beautiful new earth God had made for them was now cursed as well. Likewise, women would now have great pain and difficulty having children and raising them. Life would be hard, and even their love for one another would be full of sin. And as if all that wasn’t bad enough, Adam had doomed all of humanity to death—both in body and soul. Humans would not only die, but their souls would go to Hell forever.

    Everything seemed to be lost.

    But God…

    But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.

    Those special words from the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:4-5 ring out clearly like a bell in the night. Because God in His mercy chose not to let that be the end of Adam’s story. God did not leave Adam and Eve hopelessly lost in their sin forever.

    Instead, God made a promise to raise up a Savior to save humans from their sins.

    This Savior would defeat God’s enemy, Satan, even though Adam had failed. But it would come at a cost. He would crush Satan’s head, meaning He would destroy Satan once and for all—but Satan would inflict a deadly blow of his own in return.

    If you’ve ever seen a venomous snake strike its prey, you know it’s fast and terrifying. The snake will lunge forward, its fangs full of venom, ready to bite its enemy. God promised in this verse that the Savior would surely crush the serpent (Satan)… but that the serpent would also hurt the Savior in return. And when it comes to venomous snakes, it doesn’t matter where a snake bites you. One venomous bite can kill you.

    The bite of sin should have doomed us all in body and soul. But God, being full of mercy, sent His Son, Jesus, in our place to take our punishment for us. He sent Jesus to die for us, taking the bite of sin in our place.

    But Jesus didn’t stay dead. Because Jesus is God. After Jesus’s death, God did what we could never have done. He crushed death itself by raising Jesus from the dead. Not even death could defeat God! And in destroying its finality—the forever nature of death—He made it possible for humans to defy death as well by resting in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

    Isn’t that amazing? To have victory over death, you don’t have to count your good works and hope you have enough. You don’t have to measure your faithfulness and hope it’s good enough. All you must do is turn away from your sins and rest in Jesus as your Savior.

    Rest.

    So as you lay down your head tonight, dear child, know that Satan and sin are defeated. Smile and rest.

    Discussion Questions

    1. Think of the “black moment” in one of your favorite books or movies, when everything seems to go wrong. Talk about it with your parents.

    2. Did God have to save Adam and Eve or anyone else?

    3. Will our story have a happy ending? How do we know?

    This devotion is from the book, 31 Old Testament Devotions for the Anxious Covenant Child’s Heart, written by a mother for her children. If you would like this devotion in your home, you can order it here:

    Ready for the next devotion? Find it here!

    Read the next devotion:
  • On the Heart: 1 Samuel 16:7

    On the Heart: 1 Samuel 16:7

    An Old Testament Devotion for the Anxious Covenant Child’s Heart

    But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”

    In this verse, Samuel is all grown up, and he’s one of God’s prophets as well as a priest. God had just rejected Saul as king of Israel because of Saul’s disobedience, and He had sent Samuel to find the next king. God told Samuel the new king would be the son of a man named Jesse.

    Jesse owned many sheep and had many sons. So when Samuel came to Jesse and asked to see his sons, Jesse brought out all of his oldest sons first, and Samuel was quite impressed! They were all tall, strong, and handsome! Surely one of these was God’s chosen new king!

    But no, God told Samuel. He had chosen the youngest of the brothers.

    He had chosen David.

    As humans, it’s natural for us to compare ourselves to other people. We often feel discouraged when someone else has nicer clothes than we do, or is better at soccer, or maybe gets better grades. Maybe his family has more money to go on more vacations, or maybe her grandmother buys her a new phone every year. “Maybe I’m not so special after all,” we might think.

    But this is not how we ought to look at ourselves (or anyone else). Everyone in this world is made in the image of God. (Remember when we talked about how you’re God’s piece of art?) Every human life has special worth because God created it. Even better, though, if you are God’s child and truly believe in Him as your Savior, it’s because God chose you. Isn’t it amazing to be chosen by God? And if you are chosen by God, God loves you so much that Christ died for you. Romans 8:16-17 says,

    The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

    We don’t need to compare ourselves to others to know we are special and loved. God already proved His love by sending Jesus to live and die for our sins in our place! And then Jesus rose from the dead so we can spend eternity with Him in Heaven!

    Sometimes we don’t feel so special when people say mean things to or about us. But when that happens, we need to remember whose thoughts and judgments truly matter in the end.

    I’ll give you a hint. It’s not the person who called you a name. The One whose opinion matters the most is God!

    The Lord doesn’t value us based on our appearance or our talents. No, God looks at our hearts, just as he looked at the hearts of David and his brothers. Samuel saw how all of David’s older brothers were big and strong and handsome, but God wasn’t impressed by those things. God was thinking about the future king’s heart. And sure enough, God chose the youngest and smallest of the brothers because David was, as God said in 1 Samuel 13:14, a man after God’s own heart.

    So as you grow, just remember that while it can feel good when people pay us compliments or think we’re important, we cannot rely on what others think about us to know our worth. Our worth lies in what God thinks of us! And when God looks at His children, He sees the beautiful artistic creations He made with love. He sees the righteousness of Christ, given to us through Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. He sees the people He chose to save.

    So don’t worry about what the world thinks or says about you. For you, child of God, are so very loved.

    Discussion Questions

    1. What did God mean when He told Samuel not to look on the outward appearance?

    2. Should we judge others by how they look? Why or why not?

    3. If the Lord considers the heart so important, how can we grow and nurture our own hearts in Him?

    Next devotion coming soon…

    If you would like this devotion and others in your home, you can order it here:

    Order this devotion in paperback:
  • For This Child I Prayed: 1 Samuel 1:27-28

    For This Child I Prayed: 1 Samuel 1:27-28

    An Old Testament Devotion for the Anxious Covenant Child’s Heart

    For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the LORD. As long as he lives, he is lent to the LORD.”

    Once, there was an Israelite man with two wives. Now, this man should not have had two wives, but unfortunately, having more than one wife wive was what many men did in that part of the world. Still, despite the man’s sin, God had mercy, and this man loved God.

    This man’s first wife had been blessed with many children, but the second wife, Hannah, could not have children. The first wife would often tease and make fun of Hannah for having no children, which made her so sad that not even her husband’s love could make her feel better.

    So Hannah, being a godly woman, did what godly women do. She went to the House of the Lord and prayed to God. In fact, she prayed so hard that the Bible says she was “pouring out” her soul before God. She silently begged God for a child. She even promised God that if He gave her a son, she would return him to God’s service.

    The priest at that time, Eli, was sitting on the steps as well, and when he saw Hannah, she told him that she was speaking to the Lord out of her anxiety and frustration. Eli, understanding what she meant, then kindly told her to go in peace, hoping that God would grant her what she asked for.

    And God did. Soon, Hannah had a baby boy, and she named him Samuel. And just as she had promised God, when Samuel was old enough, she brought him to the House of the Lord to grow up in service of the Lord. And that was the way Samuel grew–in the service and worship of God.

    So why is this verse important? Not all parents have the same problem as Hannah. Many Christian families have lots of children. Some families struggle to have children, just as Hannah did. Others adopt. And yet others have only one or two.

    All of God’s covenant children, however, are just like Samuel, in that they do not belong to their parents. They are God’s children. And though it makes me sad to think about how my daughter and son will one day leave me and my husband and go off to live their own lives, I know that I cannot keep them from growing up. And I shouldn’t try.

    You, covenant child, are just like Samuel, in that you are “lent to the Lord.” This means that God has given you to your parents for a short part of your life so that your parents may raise you in the nurture and admonition of the Lord—meaning they are to teach you to love and obey God.

    But all that training is for a purpose. One day, you’ll make your way into the world as one of God’s servants, just as your parents did before you. God has plans for you, whether that’s as a parent, a spouse, a friend, a worker, a boss, a volunteer, or a church member. And God only knows the jobs and roles He has waiting for you. But God’s children are all called to be salt and light in this dark world, and this short childhood is meant to train you up so you may be salt and light as well, so the world can see the goodness of God through you.

    But just as Samuel left his home, he was never alone. God was with him, as were Eli and God’s other servants. Hannah even brought him a new robe each year when she visited the temple. And just as Samuel was never alone, neither will you be. God will provide you with all the people and love that you need to grow into a servant of God.

    So you, child of God, can sleep peacefully tonight knowing you have a purpose and great worth in God. And you are loved.

    Discussion Questions

    1. Why was Hannah sad?

    2. What does it mean that Hannah poured her heart to God?

    3. Can you pour out your heart to God? When should Christians pour out their hearts to God?

    Go to the next devotion:

    If you would like this devotion and others in your home, you can order it here:

    Order this devotion in paperback:
  • A Memorial Forever: Joshua 4:5-7

    A Memorial Forever: Joshua 4:5-7

    An Old Testament Devotion for the Anxious Covenant Child’s Heart

    And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”

    In Joshua 4:5-7, Joshua and the rest of Israel were finally done wandering the desert. The forty years of discipline that God promised them for their unfaithfulness had passed, and a whole new generation of Israelites had come to adulthood. This, of course, was exciting because it meant they would finally go to the Promised Land–the land that God had promised to give to Abraham’s descendants.

    To get to the Promised Land, however, they had to cross over a famous river called the Jordan River. To help them do this, God gave them a sign similar to the one He had performed when they escaped Egypt when He had split the Red Sea. This time, God stopped the Jordan River so that the Israelites–the hundreds of thousands of them–could cross the river on dry ground. And when they were finally finished, God gave Joshua a command. He told Joshua to have the elders of the twelve tribes of Israel take up twelve very large stones and pile them on top of one another.

    Now that might sound silly. After all, you’ve probably made piles of rocks in your backyard and at the park. Why would the Almighty God want Israel to make a pile of big rocks? Well, God tells us.

    …that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.

    This pile of rocks that God wanted the Israelites to build was meant as a gift to their children. God cared so much about the Israelite children that He didn’t want them to forget the wonderful things He had done for their parents and grandparents. He wanted to share His faithfulness with those children so they would grow up knowing God keeps His promises.

    Isn’t that wonderful? Not only did God provide for the parents, but He made sure their children would know about His promise-keeping as well. He wanted the children of Israel to trust Him.

    Just as He wants children like you to trust Him today.

    God’s command for Christian parents to teach their children about Him and His promises is still active today. Parents aren’t supposed to hide their faith from their children, nor should they let their children choose their own way. Just as it’s a mom or dad’s job to teach a small child not to play in traffic, parents must also teach children the danger of sin and the safety to be found in God.

    Sadly, however, many churches today believe children aren’t able to learn the truths of God. They’re worried children will get confused or bored with church. So they separate the children from the rest of the congregation. And instead of including them as part of God’s covenant family, the children are sent to something called “children’s church.”

    Now, many of these churches mean well. “Children’s church” often includes fun programs with crafts, plays, and games for children, and many times, these fun activities mention Jesus in them. They might even sing fun songs about Jesus.

    But when these churches send their children away from worship with the rest of the congregation, they end up hiding God’s promises and faithfulness from the children–even if they don’t mean to. And this is not what Jesus tells us to do. Instead, in Matthew 19:14, Jesus says,

    “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them…”

    When children are kept out of worship with the rest of God’s family, they’re being hindered, or kept from coming to Jesus. By being sent away, the children aren’t hearing God’s Word preached. These churches are basically telling the children that God’s Word is too hard for them, and they shouldn’t even try to understand it.

    God didn’t tell Joshua, “Give the children only fun arts and crafts with a Bible story, and one day—only after they grow up—will they be ready to hear God’s Word with the grownups.” No, He commanded the Israelite adults to teach their children the truth about God and His promises. And He even gave them signs, such as these stones, so they wouldn’t forget.

    And just as God didn’t want the Israelite children to forget, He doesn’t want you to forget today, either. Because all of God’s covenant children are precious to Him. He wants them to know of His love and faithfulness. He wants children like you to know, too.

    So sleep in peace. The God who loves you is a Promise Keeper. And He will keep you tonight.

    Discussion Questions

    1. Why did God want the Israelites to make a big pile of twelve stones?

    2. Why was it important for the Israelite children to learn about all that God had done for them and their parents and grandparents?

    3. Why is it important that you know all about the promises God kept in the Bible? How are you learning about God’s promises today?

    Go to the next devotion:

    If you would like this devotion and others in your home, you can order it here:

    Order this devotion in paperback:

  • Be Strong & Courageous: Joshua 1:9

    Be Strong & Courageous: Joshua 1:9

    An Old Testament Devotion for the Anxious Covenant Child’s Heart

    “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

    In this verse, we see the Israelite General Joshua preparing to take up the responsibility that had been Moses’s for many, many years—leading the people of Israel. Moses had led the people of Israel not only out of Egypt, but in circles through the desert for forty years after their repeated disobedience to God. Over and over again, God had promised to bring His people to Canaan, to the promised land that had belonged to Jacob, and over and over again, the people had rejected God’s promises and authority.

    Joshua was not getting an easy job. Leading the Israelites was often like trying to babysit a large room of toddlers with bad tempers and bad attitudes.

    But God had chosen Joshua to be Israel’s next leader. He had ordained (which means He planned it) for Joshua to be born to the right tribe at the right time in the right place so Joshua could fulfill this role. But God didn’t simply put Joshua there and then go for a coffee break. No, God encouraged Joshua. He told Joshua not to be afraid or worried—and then He made Joshua a special promise.

    He promised that He—the Lord of all creation—be with Joshua wherever he went.

    Note that God didn’t simply tell Joshua He would be with Joshua someday in the future. No, He promised Joshua that He was already with him.

    The God of the universe—the One who created the heavens and calls the stars by name—was already with Joshua and would continue to be for all Joshua’s days.

    “Well,” you might say, “that’s good for Joshua. But I’m not Joshua. I don’t lead Israelites or conduct war. I’m just trying to do my math homework and make friends at Taekwondo practice.”

    You’re right. You’re not Joshua, and God has not promised to help you battle against the Amorites.

    But God has made other promises to show us that He is definitely with those He loves… always.

    Psalm 139 is all about how God creates people as works of art in their mother’s bellies, even before their mothers know they’re there. But He doesn’t leave us there. The Psalm writer continues to describe how from birth, everywhere we go, God is there, too. What good news for us! The God who loves us is always with us!

    Where shall I go from your Spirit?Or where shall I flee from your presence?If I ascend to heaven, you are there!If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.

    Jesus echoes this promise in Matthew 28:19-20.

    “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

    You and I are not Joshua. But we worship and have been chosen and loved by the very same God who chose and loved Joshua. We can be strong and courageous in this world because we know we’re never alone. We don’t have to be frightened, and we don’t have to be worried or dismayed.

    Because the Lord our God is with us wherever we go. Which means He is with you day and night, beloved child. So do not be frightened, and do not be afraid. Sleep in peace.

    Discussion Questions

    1. What does it mean to be strong and courageous?

    2. God promised Joshua that He would be with Joshua always. Has God made that same promise to us? Read Matthew 28:19-20. 

    3. How can this verse help you sleep peacefully, even when you’re afraid? Think about how God rules over everything… including the things you’re afraid of.

    Go to the next devotion:

    If you would like this devotion and others in your home, you can order it here:

    Order this devotion in paperback:
  • The Secret Things of the Lord: Deuteronomy 29:29

    The Secret Things of the Lord: Deuteronomy 29:29

    An Old Testament Devotion for the Anxious Covenant Child’s Heart

    “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

    As we grow up, we all have to make decisions about our lives. What car should I buy? Which person should I marry? Should I try to find a new job? Should I move to a new city?

    Now, we know that God’s Word tells us all we need to know to be obedient servants to God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says so.

    All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

    The Bible, however, does not tell us which job we should take or what kind of house to buy. But oh, how we often wish it would! How are we to know what God wants us to do if He won’t tell us?

    When you come to these kinds of decisions, you might have a well-meaning friend who will come to you and say, “I was praying for you, and I have a word from the Lord for you. And He told me that you should…” and then they tell you.

    Now, this might be very confusing. After all, you weren’t expecting God to send you word through a friend. And what if that friend is wrong?

    But what if they’re right? you might worry. What if I ignore them? Am I ignoring the word of God?

    Well, the first question we need to ask ourselves when we wish to know what God wants us to do is to ask whether we’re obeying God in this decision. After all, God has said in the Bible that His will is for us to obey Him. So if there’s an option in our choices that’s disobedient to God’s law, we know not to make that choice.

    For example, if your friend wants you to hang out at the store with her, but you also know this friend likes to steal from stores, you already know it’s not a wise decision to hang out with her because God forbids stealing in the Bible. This makes your decision easy. You should say no.

    But that’s an easy example. What about examples where both options seem obedient to God? What about the hard choices? For example, what if your parents give you the choice of playing basketball or soccer? Is it possible to be a faithful Christian playing both of those games? The answer is yes. Neither game requires you to sin to play it. So how do you know which one is God’s will for you to choose?

    This is where we look back at our verse.

    The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

    See that? God has revealed that His will is for us to follow the words of His law–He wants us to be obedient. But He also reveals that He has a secret will. And that secret will is…

    Secret. It’s God’s, and God’s alone. God’s secret will.

    Which means we don’t need to worry about it.

    Does God know what He has planned for us in our lives? Absolutely. We learn that in Jeremiah 29:11.

    For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

    God knew the plans He had for the Israelites in the Old Testament, and He knows the plans He has for us (because Christians are a part of God’s family.) But God does not always tell us what His plan for our lives is. He wants us to have faith that He is powerful and loving, and that He is always with us, guiding and guarding us even when we can’t see what He’s doing.

    We don’t need to worry when someone tells us they have a “word from the Lord.” As well-meaning as these people might be, they don’t have God’s secret will to give you because God’s secret will is secret, and you don’t need to worry about it. Instead, trust that if you make a godly choice, doing your best to obey Scripture, He will make your paths straight, as we learn in Proverbs 3:5-6.

    Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

    So when you have a choice to make, take a deep breath, make the best choice you can, and trust the Lord using the “revealed will” of God. For God’s “revealed will” is what He has told us in the Bible. It’s that simple! What God wants us to know about His plans, He has told us in Scripture. All other knowledge is His and His alone. And even when you can’t understand what’s going on, trust the Bible that you are loved.

    Discussion Questions

    1. What is the “secret will” of God?

    2. Where should we go to learn what God wants us to know about His plans?

    3. How can we make godly choices when we’re not sure what to do?

    Go to the next devotion:

    If you would like this devotion and others in your home, you can order it here:

    Order this devotion in paperback:
  • The LORD Your God has Chosen: Deuteronomy 7:6-8

    The LORD Your God has Chosen: Deuteronomy 7:6-8

    An Old Testament Devotion for the Anxious Covenant Child’s Heart

    “For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

    In this verse, God is talking to the Israelites, and He’s reminding them that He chose to love them. Not because they were stronger or bigger than other groups of people. But because… well, simply because He wanted to.

    Have you ever wondered why God loves you? Out of all the people on earth, why did God pick you and me?

    I think all Christians ask this question at some point in their lives. We might look at our neighbor who hates God and says bad things about Him and wonder why God chose to love us rather than that neighbor—why He changed our hearts instead of our neighbor’s heart.

    Is it because we’re prettier or smarter or sweeter or taller or better dressed or cleaner or more obedient than others? Is it because we deserve God’s love?

    Some people look at this question and say, “Well, you see, before the world was created, God looked into the future and saw that I would choose Him. So He chose me back.”

    But when we read Scripture, we see that this cannot be true.

    First of all, if God did not know something—if He had to learn something because He didn’t know who would choose Him, that means that God was not all-knowing. That would mean He had to learn. And the Bible makes it very clear that God is and always has been all-knowing. If He doesn’t know everything, He isn’t God. But, of course, God knows all things, and He always has. So that doesn’t work.

    Ephesians 2:1 says that we were born “dead” in our sin.

    And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked…

    This doesn’t mean our bodies were born dead. Obviously, if you are reading this, your body is alive. It means our souls are born dead. We can’t choose God on our own because we are dead in our sins. And dead people can’t choose God.

    Imagine if a doctor had a medicine that could bring a dead person back to life! Now imagine how silly it would seem for that doctor to stand over the dead person and shout, “Hey, you! I can see you’re dead, but I have medicine that will bring you back to life! Would you like me to give it to you? Would you like to come back to life?”

    Well, the doctor could stand there and shout at the dead body all day, but the dead body wouldn’t answer. It can’t answer. It’s dead. And as we said before, dead people can’t choose life.

    No, the doctor would have to give the person the medicine before that person could make any choices at all.

    In the same way, God must choose us before we choose Him. He says so in many verses:

    Romans 9:16 says,

    So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.

    Ephesians 1:4-5 says,

    …even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will…

    Romans 9:10-11 says,

    And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—

    This thought might seem a bit scary at first. It means that if God didn’t choose me because I was good or made good choices or did all the right things… then I have no control over His love.

    Exactly!

    But believe it or not, this is good news! It’s the best news because no matter how we stumble in our sin—no matter how many times we fail to love God, His love does not rely on us or what we do or choose. He loves us simply because He wanted to. Isn’t that fantastic? God’s love for His children is not of my doing. That means it doesn’t rest on any other action other than His choice to love me and Christ’s work that He credits to us!

    And the same goes for you, my dear child. You cannot earn God’s love, just as I can’t. We’re too sinful. But once God the Holy Spirit brings us to spiritual life out of that spiritual death, then we can love God. As 1 John 4:19 says,

    We love because he first loved us.

    So go, child. Sleep in God’s peace and love tonight.

    Discussion Questions

    1. According to this verse, do we choose God first, or does He choose us first?

    2. Can we choose God through our own abilities? Or does something else have to happen first?

    3. Once we learn of God’s love, what should our response be? What should we do, and why should we do it?

    Go to the next devotion:

    If you would like this devotion and others in your home, you can order it here:

    Order this devotion in paperback:
  • The LORD Your God: Exodus 20:1-2

    The LORD Your God: Exodus 20:1-2

    An Old Testament Devotion for the Anxious Covenant Child’s Heart

    And God spoke all these words, saying,
    “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

    In Exodus, God spoke these words right before He gave Israel the Ten Commandments. Now, the fact that He said these words before He gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments might not seem important at first. But the fact that He said them before the Ten Commandments is actually important because it changes the way we understand the Commandments themselves.

    It teaches us about His love.

    Sadly, a lot of people think Christianity is only about rules. They think that Christians spend their whole lives trying to obey God so they can go to Heaven. These people also often think God is a big meanie in the sky, just waiting for us to break His rules so He can send us to Hell. But these short verses tell us differently.

    Notice that God reminded the Israelites of what He had already done for them before He gave them His rules. He was basically saying, “Look at the ways I have already loved you. I have already made you My people. I defeated the most powerful military in the world to save you.” (Because Egypt was the most powerful nation in the world at that time, and God had literally just drowned the Egyptian army to stop them from enslaving the Israelites again.) God was reminding His people that He loved them dearly and had chosen them already. Before they ever obeyed or disobeyed His Commandments.

    And the Israelites would most certainly disobey them.

    We know from reading Genesis that before Moses even brought the Ten Commandments down the mountain, the Israelites had already gotten bored of waiting for him to finish his meeting with God. So they betrayed God by ordering Aaron—Moses’s brother—to create an idol for them. Then they tried to steal God’s glory by proclaiming that it was the idol who had brought them out of Egypt. Then they worshiped the idol.

    Despite all the love God had just shown them—saving them from slavery and promising to save them from their sins—they coveted God’s authority to make and break the rules—just like Adam and Eve had done.

    Just as we often do today.

    Instead of honoring and obeying God, we also often get frustrated that He gives us rules to follow. We ignore the truth that God gives us rules for our own good. But He gives us rules because He already loves us. Gods laws show us our need for God, so we can learn about Him, and so we can learn how to love Him through obedience.

    But God, knowing all the ways His children would disobey Him, still chose to love the Israelites anyway. Knowing they would choose to forget Him, He told Moses to remind His disobedient people of all He had done for them, and that He was still their God, and that they were still His people.

    In the same way, He reminds us that He is our God—even when we disobey. The law of God is not meant for us to use to get to Heaven. Because no matter how hard we try to be good and obedient, we can’t use it to get into Heaven. We’re too sinful. All it takes is one little sin to ruin our souls forever. And because we are Adam’s children, we sin all the time. It’s in our very nature to sin. Just as it was in the Israelites’ nature to sin.

    So what does God want us to do with the law if we’re just going to break it?

    In John 14:15, Jesus says,

    “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

    God uses the Ten Commandments to show us our sin. He uses the law to teach us how to be more like Him, and He finally uses the law to show us how to love Him and how to love one another. Thank the Lord that God does not choose to save people based on their obedience to His commandments! If He did, none of us would be saved!

    God chose the Israelites to be His people before He even gave them the Law—just as He has chosen people like you and me to be part of His family through adoption, as we see in Ephesians 1:4-5.

    In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ…

    God didn’t choose to adopt us because we’re naturally obedient and faithful, but because He is merciful. In the same way God chose the Israelites to be His people so He could show them mercy, He chose children like you to be His so He could show you mercy and love.

    So rest in peace tonight, child of God. God’s love does not rely on your obedience. It rests on the obedience Jesus carried out for you through His perfect life, death, and resurrection. So trust in Jesus to forgive your sins and sleep in peace tonight.

    You are greatly loved.

    Discussion Questions

    1. Does God love us because we keep His commandments?

    2. If we can’t keep the law perfectly, why should we even try?

    3. How does God’s law teach us to love God and others?

    Go to the next devotion

    If you would like this devotion and others in your home, you can order it here:

    Order this devotion in paperback:
  • God Meant For Good: Genesis 50:20

    God Meant For Good: Genesis 50:20

    An Old Testament Devotion for the Anxious Covenant Child’s Heart

    As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

    When I was young, there were three girls in my school who liked to pick on me. They wouldn’t let me sit with them at lunch with the other girls. They even called me names and threw food at me. When the school put on a play, they tried to take my part in the play away from me, whining to their parents that it wasn’t fair that I got the role they wanted.


    Even worse was that while many of the other girls didn’t hate me like the three girls did, they were too scared to stand up to the bullies. And because they didn’t stand up to the bullies, I was left feeling very alone.


    That school year was miserable. I still think about it as the loneliest year of my life.


    But I learned something that year that might surprise you.


    I realized that even if God gave me a time machine to go back and get rid of that year… I wouldn’t do it. I would keep that year, as hard and sad and lonely as it was. Because in that year, I learned to trust God. I grew more and more aware that he was with me, and truly began to understand that He is with me all the time. God used that sad time to bring me closer to Him. In my loneliness, I read my Bible more than I ever had. I began to memorize God’s promises to His children.


    Those mean girls meant evil against me that year. But God meant it for good so I would learn to trust in Him more and feel and understand His love for me more than I ever had.


    In our Bible verse today, Jacob’s son, Joseph, who had been sold into slavery by his own brothers, had finally reunited with those same brothers years later. They didn’t recognize him at first, but when they did, they were terrified. And with good reason.


    Since being sold into slavery, God had made Joseph nearly as powerful as Egypt’s king—and Egypt was the most powerful kingdom in the world at that time. This meant Joseph was one of the most powerful men on earth.


    His brothers understood that if Joseph wanted to, he could snap his fingers and have the Egyptian guards kill them right then and there. He could deny them food if he wanted, leaving their families to die from starvation. He could have his revenge in many ways if he so desired.


    But Joseph did not desire it. Because he understood that God had used his brothers’ sinful hatred of him to save many, many lives. For God had chosen Joseph to reveal the coming famine (seven years in which food wouldn’t grow) to the Egyptian king—Pharaoh. God had also chosen to bless Joseph with wisdom, telling him how to save food so that Egypt and the people of the surrounding tribes and nations would survive the famine.
    people including his family.


    Even more importantly, God used Joseph to keep Abraham’s descendants alive so God could one day keep His promise of sending a Savior to save sinners.


    So when we’re feeling sad or lonely or worried, we can take comfort in remembering how God used what we would consider “bad things” to save Joseph, his family, and many, many other lives. God used Joseph to keep His promise to send Jesus.


    And God can and will use your sad times, too, dear one, to bless you and bless others and to glorify Himself. Even when you feel too sinful or too small or too sad, God will, as He did with Joseph, work in you and through you to do amazing things. Because everything God does is amazing, even when working through sinners like us.


    So go to bed tonight knowing that whatever happened to you today, God is going to use that to bring about good things, for you and for many others. For you are loved.

    Discussion Questions

    1. What does it mean when someone means something for evil against us?

    2. How did God use Joseph’s brothers’ sin for good?

    3. How has God used hard things in your life for good?

    Go to the next devotion:

    If you would like this devotion and others in your home, you can order it here:

    Order this devotion in paperback:
  • When We Fall: Genesis 20:6

    When We Fall: Genesis 20:6

    An Old Testament Devotion for the Anxious Covenant Child’s Heart


    Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.

    Are you ever so frustrated by your sin that you wonder if God can still love you? Do you ever feel like you just can’t fight your sin anymore?

    I think most Christians feel this way sometimes. Sometimes it can feel as though we keep praying to God to help us fight our sin… but we feel like God doesn’t hear us. Because we keep on sinning.

    Most of the Bible verses we talk about in this book happen when God is speaking to one of His children. But this verse tells us the story of when God spoke to King Abimelech, a powerful Pagan king of the country Gerar.

    At the beginning of this story, Abraham and his wife Sarah were traveling, and they came to Gerar. Now, Sarah was very beautiful, and King Abimelech noticed. 

    In those days, kings often did whatever they wanted. They could have any man killed simply because they felt like it. They could take what they wanted and give what they wanted. And when Abraham and Sarah came into town, King Abimelech noticed Sarah’s beauty, and Abraham was scared. He was afraid King Abimelech would have him killed so he could take Sarah to be his own wife. For in that part of the world, the kings often had many, many wives.

    Instead of trusting in God, however, and trying to protect his wife, Abraham took the coward’s way out. He told King Abimelech that Sarah was his sister, rather than his wife. And when Abimelech commanded that Sarah be brought to him, instead of protecting her as a husband should, Abraham gave her away.

    I don’t know about you, but I would be pretty upset if I were Sarah.

    God, however, knew everything that was happening, and He stepped in to save His daughter.

    Knowing that King Abimelech planned to take Sarah as his new wife, God appeared to King Abimelech in a dream.

    And it was King Abimelech’s turn to be afraid.

    In this dream, God revealed to King Abimelech that Sarah was actually Abraham’s wife. And that King Abimelech had stolen her. King Abimelech, of course, was terrified. He pleaded with God. “I didn’t know! I haven’t even touched her!”

    God replied, “Yes, I know. Because I knew the truth, and I didn’t allow you to touch her.”

    God knew what was going on, and He stopped the king from making Sarah his wife. Even though King Abimelech didn’t know it, God was merciful enough to stop him from committing a great sin.

    “So why doesn’t God stop us from sinning all the time?” you might ask. To be honest, I don’t know God’s secret thoughts. But I do know what He says in His Word. And in Philippians 2:12-13, He says,

    Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

    Before babies can learn to walk, they must first learn to crawl. And only then can they try to walk. But learning to walk isn’t easy. It involves a lot of falling, and often many bumps on the head. Babies must learn to balance their weight and move their legs and arms properly, and to develop those muscles, they usually have to fail again and again.

    “Now, that’s mean,” we might say. “Why do parents allow babies to get so many bumps and bruises? Surely their mommies and daddies could hold them up so they don’t fall so many times!”

    That’s true. The parents could do that. But then the baby wouldn’t really be walking. His legs wouldn’t grow strong, and he would never be able to play baseball or do gymnastics or play a game of tag with friends. He wouldn’t even be able to run away from danger.

    Likewise, even though God has saved us, He sometimes lets us fall and fail again and again. Because He knows that we must learn how to obey Him. Just like a baby learning to walk, Christians must learn to love God through obedience.

    But just as parents are there to watch the babies learn to walk, they are also watching to keep the baby from doing something truly dangerous. A little bump on the leg or arm won’t really hurt a baby, but running into traffic or touching an oven will. Likewise, God sometimes does stop us from sinning, just as He did for King Abimelech, without us ever knowing it. Paul promises in 1 Corinthians 10:13,

    No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

    As Christians, we should desire to obey God. But we must also expect that such obedience is hard work for such sinners like us. Thankfully, we don’t have to obey God to earn or keep our salvation, but rather, we obey God because we love Him and are grateful for His first loving us.

    We might sometimes feel alone as we go through this world, feeling very much like a little baby who falls and fails all the time. But God is our Heavenly Father, always with us, always smiling on us, always loving us. Even when we fail.

    Which is all the more reason to love Him more.

    So enter this night in peace, sweet one. For you are loved.

    Discussion Questions

    1. Did Abraham trust God when he told Sarah to lie to King Abimelech about being his wife?

    2. How did God protect Sarah even when her husband did not?

    3. Why does God sometimes allow us to sin and then disciplines us? How does He bring good out of those hard lessons?discipline us? How does He bring good out of those hard lessons?

    Go to the next devotion:

    If you would like this devotion and others in your home, you can order it here:

    Order this devotion in paperback: