Keys for Kids - daily devotions and Bible stories for kids and families

Read: Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 1:3-6; 1 John 3:1-2 Mai sat quietly at the dinner table, poking at her rice with her chopsticks. Usually she loved dinner—especially when her dad made his special noodle stir-fry—but tonight, nothing tasted good. “Mai, sweetheart, you’ve barely touched your food. Is everything all right?” Mum asked. Mai’s chest tightened. “I don’t want to do the presentation about Japan,” she blurted, tears stinging her eyes. “I don’t even like my culture!” Her parents exchanged a worried glance. Before either could speak, Mai pushed back her chair and ran to her room. A few minutes later, there was a soft knock on her bedroom door. “May I come in?” her mum asked gently. Mai sniffled but nodded. Her mum sat beside her on the bed. “What’s really bothering you?” she asked. Mai hesitated. “I don’t look like you and Dad,” she finally admitted. “Everyone will think it’s weird. You both have blonde hair and blue eyes, and I have black hair and dark eyes. I look different because I’m adopted!” Mum smiled and tucked a strand of Mai’s hair behind her ear. “You know, Mai, we are different in some ways,” she said, “but do you know what you and your dad and I have in common?” Mai shook her head. “We’re all adopted,” her mum said. Mai blinked in surprise. “We are?” “When Jesus died on the cross, He made a way for us to become God’s children,” Mum explained. “No matter where we’re from, what we look like, He says, ‘You are My child, and I love you.’” Mai frowned. “So…God adopted me too?” “Yes. He chose you before you were born, and when you put your faith in Jesus, you became His child. And He loves you more than you could ever imagine. One day, Jesus is coming back to take all God’s children home. And you, my sweet girl, are part of that forever family.” Mai wiped her eyes. “Mum,” she said, “can you tell me everything about Japan? I want to know where I come from.” Mum’s face lit up. “I’d love to.” And as they sat together, sharing stories and memories, Mai felt grateful to be part of God’s big, wonderful family. –Esther Espinoza How about you? Did you know that God loves you so much He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for you and make you His child? If you’ve put your faith in Him, you’re part of God’s big family. No matter who you are or where you’re from, God says, “You are Mine!” He is always with you, and one day Jesus will come back and all God’s children will live with Him forever! Today’s key verse: God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:5 (NLT) Today’s key thought: God our Father adopted us

Read: Psalm 78:34-39; Ephesians 4:26-32 “Stop following me around, Diego!” Santos yelled at his little brother. “But I want to be with you,” Diego said tearfully. “I don’t care! I’m tired of you following me everywhere!” Santos said as he stormed out of the house. Later that day, Santos went inside to get a snack. “What are you doing?” he asked when he found his dad under the kitchen sink. Dad crawled out from under the sink and fumbled around in his toolbox. “Oh, the faucet is leaking again, and I’m trying to fix it. Ever since it started leaking, I just can’t seem to get it to stop! I may have to call in a professional.” Dad sighed, somewhat discouraged, then went back to work as Santos continued to look for something to eat. A few minutes later, Dad gave up trying to fix the faucet and sat down at the table. “You know, we can be like that faucet sometimes,” he said. Santos looked confused. “What do you mean?” “When we get angry with someone and respond to them harshly, it’s a lot like water dripping from a leak. Once it gets started, it’s hard to mend. The faucet was never the same after I tried to fix it, just like our feelings toward one another are never quite the same when we try to fix them ourselves. We need to call in a professional!” “A professional? Like who?” Santos asked. “Jesus!” Dad answered. “We need to call on Him to fix the leak in our relationships. The only way to stop anger from leaking out of our hearts and hurting others is for Him to replace it with His love. We need to remember how much He loves us and then trust Him to help us respond to others with love and forgiveness instead of anger.” Santos thought about how he had yelled at his little brother earlier that day. “I think I need to ask Jesus to fix a leak in my heart and then go apologize to Diego.” Dad smiled. “I think that’s a good idea. While you do that, I’m going to call a plumber!” –Elena Ketner How about you? Do you have a leak in a relationship that you just can’t seem to fix? Do mean, angry words spurt out of your mouth when you get upset? You can’t fix that leak on your own—you need a professional. Jesus is the only one who can fix the angry leak in your heart. Trust Him to help you love others the way He loves you so you can respond to them with kindness and forgiveness instead of anger. Today’s key verse: A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: God’s love can fix relationships

Read: Acts 4:1-12 How about you? Have you received the antidote for sin? The Bible says everyone has sinned by doing wrong things, and sin leads to death. There’s nothing we can do to save ourselves—the only way to be saved is through Jesus, God’s Son. Trust Him to save you from sin and death and give you eternal life with Him. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today’s key verse: Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Jesus is the antidote for sin

Read: Psalm 20:6-7; Romans 8:38-39 Editor’s note: This story may not be suitable for some children. “Almost time for school,” Mom said as she picked up Rhea’s backpack. “Rhea! What do you have in here? Feels like a bag full of rocks!” She unzipped the top. Rhea’s eyes grew round. “No, Mom, don’t—” But Mom was already pulling out a can of hairspray, a camouflage jacket that belonged to Rhea’s brother, a bicycle helmet, and indeed, one large rock. “Is this for some kind of project at school?” Rhea looked down. “No. I was just…” She sighed. “Scared.” Mom sat down with her on the sofa. “Scared? Of school?” “I’ve been watching the news.” Rhea leaned her head against her mom. “There was another shooting at a school. And we did a drill at school so we’d know what to do if it wasn’t safe.” Mom had a sad look in her eyes. But then they twinkled a bit. “So if someone dangerous comes in, you’re going to…do his hair? Or send him away on a bicycle?” Mom grinned softly, and Rhea smiled too. “I thought I could spray hairspray in his eyes. The bicycle helmet is for me, to protect my head. The camo is so he wouldn’t see me. And I could throw the rock at him. I’ve been practicing.” “Oh, honey.” Mom pulled Rhea onto her lap. “I hate that you feel afraid. But think of the story of David and Goliath in the Bible. Was it the rock that kept David safe?” Rhea nodded. “He killed Goliath with it.” Mom shook her head. “It might seem that way, but that’s not what happened. It wasn’t something that kept David safe, but someone.” Rhea’s eyes brightened. “Oh! You mean God.” “That’s right,” said Mom. “He’s the one who truly keeps us safe, but that doesn’t always mean He’ll keep us from harm. Remember, when Jesus died on the cross, He was right where God wanted Him to be. He was fulfilling God’s good plan for salvation.” “Yeah,” said Rhea, “saving us was a really good plan.” Mom nodded. “And because of that good plan, we know nothing can ever separate us from Jesus, even when bad stuff happens and we feel afraid. He promises to always be with us. And”—she tickled Rhea lightly—“I trust Him a lot more than hairspray!” –Janel Breitenstein How about you? Are you relying on something to keep you safe? It’s good to be prepared and take precautions, but remember where your safety really comes from. No matter what scary situations you face, you’re always safe with Jesus because He died and rose again to save you from sin and give you eternal life. Even when terrible things happen, nothing can separate you from Him. Trust Him to always be with you and keep you safe. Today’s key verse: Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. Psalm 20:7 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Jesus keeps you safe

Read: Genesis 41:46-57 “Guess what Joseph is doing?” exclaimed Ellie as she burst into the kitchen. “He’s burying acorns near the apple tree!” “Who’s Joseph?” asked Mom. “The new boy next door?” Ellie laughed. “No, Mom! Joseph is the squirrel who comes to our garden. But why would he bury acorns instead of eating them?” Ellie’s brother Michael answered her question. “He’s storing them away to eat in the winter.” Mom nodded. “While the weather is good, squirrels collect acorns and hide them,” she explained. “Then when winter comes and food is hard to find, they have their secret supply.” “That sounds like Joseph in the Bible,” said Michael. “God told him to collect grain for seven years so that when a famine came, the people would have plenty to eat.” “You’re right,” said Mom. “We can learn something from both Josephs.” “You mean we need to store up food in case there’s a famine here?” asked Ellie. Mom smiled. “I was thinking of a different kind of food—spiritual food. When difficult times come, we often realize we need God’s help, but we don’t always remember to use the good times to store up spiritual food that will help us trust and depend on Him when things get tough.” “How do we store up spiritual food?” asked Ellie. “When things are going well for us, we should be faithful in learning more about Jesus and what He did to save us so we can grow in our relationship with Him,” replied Mom. “Some of the ways we can do that is by reading the Bible, memorizing verses, meeting with other Christians, and hearing God’s Word explained by pastors and teachers.” “I get it,” said Michael. “If we do those things to store up spiritual food, it will help us remember He’s with us when hard times come.” “Right,” said Mom. “For example, there have been times when I needed wise advice or encouragement, and a verse just popped into my head—one I learned when I was a little girl and hadn’t even thought about for years. We can draw spiritual strength from all the things we’ve learned about Jesus from God’s Word in the past and know our future is safe in His hands.” –Tanya Ferdinandusz How about you? Are things going well for you right now? Then use this time to thank Jesus and learn all you can about Him. But maybe things aren’t going so well and you’re dealing with difficulties in your life. Then remember that Jesus gave His life for you and promises to always be with you, and ask Him to comfort and encourage you. Remember that He helped Joseph in his time of trouble, and He’ll do the same for you. Today’s key verse: Our ancestors trusted in you; they trusted, and you rescued them. Psalm 22:4 (CSB) Today’s key thought: Store up spiritual food