Seventh-Day Adventist Devotional For Children: “Good Intentions”

*DAILY BREAD – A DEVOTIONAL FOR CHILDREN*

Eastern Nigeria Union Conference Children’s Ministries

*THEME: I WILL GO*

Thursday, March 31, 2022

*Topic: Good Intentions*

_Then the Israelites said to Gideon, “Be our ruler! You and your son and your grandson will be our rulers, for you have rescued us from Midian.” But Gideon replied, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son. The LORD will rule over you! However, I do have one request—that each of you give me an earring from the plunder you collected from your fallen enemies.” Judges 8:22-23_

Have you ever had one of those “I was just trying to help” moments? Maybe you offered to carry the food to the table and you dropped it?.
In Judges 8, it appears that Gideon tried to do a good thing. But the result was tragic. Impressed by his military exploits, the men of Israel asked Gideon to be their king. To his credit, he refused. He reminded the people that their king was God. Yet after resisting the temptation of power, Gideon gave in to the temptation of gold. He asked them to donate gold earrings, which he made into an “ephod”. Whatever his motive was, God hadn’t told him to do this.
When Gideon set up the ephod in Ophrah, it drew the people’s attention away from worship of the Lord and led them into idolatry. And as soon as Gideon died, the people found it easy to go back to worshiping the Baals
Gideon may have had good intentions, but he made the mistake of acting without consulting the Lord. Let’s be careful not to allow anything to take our eyes off our loving, God—or it will lead us and others astray. There are many things we encounter today that may seem at first to be acceptable. But we, too, face the same temptations the Israelites faced. We tend to place too much importance on things – house, money, cars – and pay less attention to God.
The Word of God provides the light we need to see the way. If we obey what God has said, We’ll not be led astray. We must always be sensitive to focusing on god, not things. Good intentions are no substitute for obedience.

*Song*
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace

His word shall not fail you he promised
Believe him and all will be well
Then go to a world that is dying
His perfect salvation to tell

*Prayer*
O Lord, remove distractions that compete for my attention. Help me to focus and to get things done, that I do not bring myself nor my neighbor greater misery through my negligence and that I may be able pleasing to be you and serve You better. Amen.