** Daily Devotional 에서 방송된 내용의 줄거리입니다. Daily Devotional은 Keys for kids Ministries에서 지원받은 프로그램입니다. 홈페이지 www.keysforkids.org로 들어가시면 Keys for kids Daily Devotional <July 09, 2021>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**

 

Why Mosquitoes? (Monday)

Read: Genesis 1:21-25; Isaiah 11:6-9; Revelation 21:4 

 

"Ohhh, I'm getting so itchy! I hate mosquitoes!" Grace slapped her arm. All evening she and her brother Wyatt had been bothered by the pesky bugs, but they hadn't wanted to stay inside the cabin.

 

"Well, I'm not ready to go in yet," said Wyatt. "We only have a couple more days here at the lake, and Iwant to fish some more and--ouch!" He interrupted himself as he slapped at a mosquito on his leg.

 

"Let's get some more bug spray," said Grace, so they ran up the hill to the cabin, where their parents were sitting on the screened-in porch.

"You two tired of fishing already?" asked Dad.

"No, but we're getting eaten alive! We have to put on more insect repellent," Wyatt explained.

 

"Why did God have to make mosquitoes anyhow?" asked Grace.

 

"Well, mosquitoes might be a nuisance to you, but they're important to some of God's creatures," said Dad. "Dragonflies, for example. They're food for them."

 

Mom nodded. "And for purple martins and a lot of other birds."

 

"Bats eat mosquitoes too," Dad said. "There are also certain kinds of fish that eat mosquito larvae."

 

"Really?" said Grace. "Well, if you ask me, they're welcome to 'em!"

 

"Do you remember what God said after He created the heavens and earth?" Dad asked.

 

"Sure. It was one of our memory verses at church," replied Wyatt. He recited the verse. "God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good."

 

"Right." Dad nodded. "But now, unfortunately, all of creation has been affected by sin. That's why some things God created are now harmful and irritating. But everything He made has a purpose, and He's promised to restore harmony within all of creation someday in the future. The Bible says that when Jesus returns, He'll get rid of sin and the pain it causes, and we'll be able to enjoy His creation the way He intended it to be. Then the mosquitoes won't be a problem anymore."

 

Grace grinned and held up the can of insect repellent. "Well, this stuff has a purpose too," she said, "and I hope it works!" -Linda M. Weddle

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Do you wonder why God created mosquitoes, flies, and other pesky bugs? Have you ever wished He hadn’t made snakes or spiders or other creatures you don’t like? Everything God created is part of His plan, but sin has affected that plan. However, there’s still a purpose for all He has made, and someday God will restore harmony to His creation. Thank Him for making all things good and for His promise to make everything right again one day.

 

TODAY'S KEY VERSE: Genesis 1:31 (KJV)

God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. (NKJV)

** Daily Devotional 에서 방송된 내용의 줄거리입니다. Daily Devotional은 Keys for kids Ministries에서 지원받은 프로그램입니다. 홈페이지 www.keysforkids.org로 들어가시면 Keys for kids Daily Devotional <July 05, 2021>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**

 

Senior Saints (Tuesday)

Read: Psalm 71:14-18 

 

As part of a service project, the kids in Callie's class at church made a weekly check on the senior church members who lived in their neighborhood. "It takes longest to check on Mrs. Deaton," Callietold Elena, her project partner. "She always talks and talks!" Elena agreed, but they dutifully called on the elderly lady once a week.

 

One day, Mrs. Deaton showed the girls some faded photographs. "Who's this?" Elena asked, pointing to a picture of a little girl.

Mrs. Deaton smiled. "That's my daughter."

 

"How come she never visits you or takes care of you now that you're old?" Callie blurted without thinking.

 

"She was in a car accident many years ago, and the Lord took her to be with Him," Mrs. Deaton explained. Callie's face flushed when she heard that. "Now don't you fret," Mrs. Deaton said, patting Callie's hand. "Losing her was the hardest thing I've ever faced, but Jesus was with me through it all. When He says He will never leave us or forsake us, He means it!"

 

Not long after that, Mrs. Deaton didn't come to the door when the girls rang the bell. Callie peered through a window. She couldn't see clearly, but it looked as though Mrs. Deaton was slumped over a table. "Oh no!" Callie cried in alarm, but just then Mrs. Deaton's head jerked up.

Seeing Callie's frightened face, Mrs. Deaton quickly came to the door. "Come on in, girls. I was so busy, I didn't even hear you." She smiled at them. "You see, I may be old and unable to do much, but I can pray," she said with a wink. "Today I was praying for the kids in our neighborhood--including the two of you!"

 

When Callie got home, she told her mom what had happened. "When we started this project, I just saw Mrs. Deaton as a burden," Callie admitted. "But she's been teaching me a lot--and praying for me too!"

 

"Jesus promises to take care of us our whole lives," said Mom. "Even when we're old, He will continue to work through us so others can know Him better."

 

Callie nodded. "If I live to be as old as Mrs. Deaton, I hope I'll be praying for others and telling them about Jesus just like she does!" -Jan L. Hansen

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

How do you feel about older people? Do you respect them? Do you spend time with them and listen to what they have to say? You’ll find that older people can teach you valuable lessons from the experiences they’ve faced. God has given His senior saints, as well as younger Christians, a job to do. He’s still working in their lives so they can point people to Jesus. They’re valuable to Him, and He wants you to value them too.

 

TODAY'S KEY VERSE: Psalm 71:18 (KJV)

Even while I am old and gray, God, do not abandon me, while I proclaim your power to another generation, your strength to all who are to come. (CSB)

 

 

** Daily Devotional 에서 방송된 내용의 줄거리입니다. Daily Devotional은 Keys for kids Ministries에서 지원받은 프로그램입니다. 홈페이지 www.keysforkids.org로 들어가시면 Keys for kids Daily Devotional <July 07, 2021>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**

 

Harper’s Choice (Wednesday)

Read: Matthew 22:34-40 

 

As Harper dashed out onto the playground, she spotted Lilly and Emma chatting on the set of double bars.

"Hi, Harper." Lilly grinned as Harper ran over to them. "Want a turn?" She gestured to the bars, where Emma was hanging by her legs.

 

"Sure." Harper pulled herself up onto the bars next to Emma.

 

"We were just talking about Damien," Lilly told her. "Emma said she saw him picking his nose in class. He is so gross."

 

Beside her, Emma laughed. Harper forced a smile, but inside her stomach churned nervously. She didn't like where this conversation was going.

 

"Yeah," Emma piped up. "Did you see what he was eating for lunch today? Tuna fish! I have to sit next to him, and he's going to smell fishy."

 

"Oh, Emma, that literally stinks." Lilly pulled a sympathetic face. They both looked at Harper, clearly waiting for her to add something.

 

"Maybe you could offer him a stick of gum," Harper said uncertainly. She didn't like that they were saying mean things about Damien.

"A stick of gum?" Lilly burst out laughing. "Oh, Harper, you're too much! If Emma offered him a stick of gum, he'd probably think she wanted to be his friend."

"What's wrong with that?" Harper asked without thinking.

 

"You can't be serious." Lilly squeezed herself between Emma and Harper on the bars. "My turn," she announced, and Harper slid off. Her heart sank. She had the feeling Lilly was dismissing her.

 

"I mean," Harper said desperately, "obviously one stick of gum wouldn't be enough to get rid of the smell. You'd have to give him the whole pack."

 

There was a beat of silence, then Lilly grinned and patted the bars. "Maybe there's room for three after all."

 

Breathing out in relief, Harper hopped up on the bars. She saw a flash out of the corner of her eye and turned to see Damien running past them. Had he heard what she'd said? Remorse filled her as she remembered that Jesus loved Damien and died for him as well as her. But she'd been so eager to fit in, she'd been willing to make fun of him.

 

"Guys, I have to go," she said, then she dashed off after Damien to apologize. It was never too late to love others like Jesus does. -Heather Gardner

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Have you ever said or done something unkind because you wanted to fit in? How did you feel afterward? It can be hard to stand up to your friends, but Jesus is always with you. If you’re ever in a tough situation, ask Him for help. He suffered the ultimate rejection on the cross because He loves you, and His love is better than the approval of any friend. He will help you love others like He does.

 

TODAY'S KEY VERSE: Galatians 5:14 (KJV)

For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (NLT)

 

** Daily Devotional 에서 방송된 내용의 줄거리입니다. Daily Devotional은 Keys for kids Ministries에서 지원받은 프로그램입니다. 홈페이지 www.keysforkids.org로 들어가시면 Keys for kids Daily Devotional <July 10, 2021>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**

 

Up to Bat (Thursday)

Read: Romans 12:4-8

 

Jonah sighed as Eli swung the bat, sending the ball flying over the fence. "Home run!" Eli shouted, running around the backyard and stepping on imaginary bases along the way. The two boys had been practicing their hitting skills.

 

Why is Eli always so lucky? Jonah wondered. All afternoon he got good hits and I just got pop flies for him to catch. Maybe I'm just not any good at baseball. Jonah glared at Eli. "Go get the ball yourself this time," he grumbled. He tossed his glove onto the ground and sat down at the picnic table.

 

Eli went after the ball, then ran over to Jonah, baseball in hand. "Don't you want to practice hitting anymore?"

 

Jonah wiped sweat from his forehead. "Nah."

"Oh, okay." Eli sat down next to Jonah.

 

Both boys fanned themselves with their hats. "It's hot. I'll see if Mom has some lemonade for us," said Jonah, getting up from the table.

"Rough time out there?" Mom asked as Jonah opened the patio door.

 

Jonah shrugged. "Just not my day, I guess. I haven't had a single good hit."

Mom poured two glasses of lemonade. "Well, baseball is a team sport."

"I know," Jonah said. "So?"

"So maybe hitting isn't your biggest strength," Mom said. "But you're a very good pitcher." She handed him the glasses. "Everybody has different strengths. We can't all be great hitters, but we do our best with the position we do play. It's like that with the body of Christ too--the church. I was just reading a passage in the Bible about that. It pointed out that every Christian has a different calling. We need to use the talents God has given us, not those He gave someone else. We need to work as a team so we can show the world the love of Jesus together."

 

Jonah grinned. "You're right, Mom. Thanks." He took a long drink of lemonade, then went out to the picnic table and handed Eli a glass. When their glasses were empty, Jonah picked up his glove. "You ready?"

 

Eli looked surprised. "I thought you didn't want to play anymore."

 

Jonah shrugged. "I changed my mind."

 

"Okay," Eli said, picking up the bat. "You want to hit first?"

 

"Nah," Jonah replied. "I'll just practice my pitch." -Rebecca J. Gomez

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Have you felt like you just weren’t good enough at something? Maybe you’ve seen someone else excelling in sports, music, or some other activity, and you wished you could be like that person. Don’t waste time comparing your talents with those of anyone else. Instead, focus on the gifts God has given you. Use them as part of God’s team of believers to point others to Jesus.

 

TODAY'S KEY VERSE:  1 Peter 4:10 (KJV)

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (NIV)

** Daily Devotional 에서 방송된 내용의 줄거리입니다. Daily Devotional은 Keys for kids Ministries에서 지원받은 프로그램입니다. 홈페이지 www.keysforkids.org로 들어가시면 Keys for kids Daily Devotional <July 11, 2021>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**

 

Dark Skin (Friday)

Read: Song of Solomon 1:5; Revelation 7:9

 

When Mom heard a loud, gut-wrenching sob coming from Pam's room, she knocked and then opened Pam's door. Pam was sobbing uncontrollably into her pillow while holding a picture of herself and her sister, Kim.

 

"What's wrong, Pam?" asked Mom as she sat down on Pam's bed.

 

Pam looked up from her pillow. "Why couldn't I have lighter skin like Kim? Why couldn't my kinky hair be as straight as Kim's? People look at her and ramble on and on about how beautiful she is. Then they realize I'm there and compliment me on how smart and athletic I am, but never how beautiful I am."

Mom squeezed Pam's shoulder. "Baby girl, I have dark skin too."

 

Pam sniffled. "But you're pretty, Mom."

 

"So are you, but I can't make you see that. I can only pray that God will open your eyes to see how beautiful you truly are," Mom said.

 

Pam wiped her eyes. "I know the Bible tells me I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Is it wrong for me to want people to think I'm pretty too, even though my skin is dark and my hair isn't straight?"

 

"No, baby girl, it's not wrong to want people to think you're pretty, because you are! You're beautiful because God created every part of you, and He sent His own Son to die for you so you could be His precious child. You're a one-of-a-kind treasure." Mom pulled Pam into her arms. "Did I ever tell you the verse your grandmother had me repeat whenever I compared myself to the other girls?"

 

"No, I don't think so," said Pam.

 

"Your Grandma would lead me to a mirror," Mom said as she guided Pam over to the mirror on her bedroom wall. "Then we would look into it, and Grandma would stand tall and recite Song of Solomon 1:5--Dark am I, yet lovely.' Then she would have me repeat those words until I smiled."

 

Pam reached for her Bible and turned the pages to read the verse for herself. "She's called beautiful!" Pam said with the biggest smile. "And she has dark skin like me."

 

Mom nodded. "Never forget, Pam," she said. "Dark skin is beautiful to God."

 

-Denice Mitchell

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Do you look different from other people you know? Are you ever treated differently because of it? God created all kinds of people—with a variety of shapes, sizes, hair, and skin tones—and He loves us all. He was willing to send Jesus to die for each and every one of us so we could be His children. So no matter how different you are, remember God loves you and you are special to Him.

 

TODAY'S KEY VERSE:  Psalm 139:14 (KJV)

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (NIV)