Seventh-Day Adventist Devotional For Children: “A New Kind Of Living”
DAILY BREAD – DEVOTIONAL FOR CHILDREN
EASTERN NIGERIA UNION CONFERENCE CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES
Saturday, December 23, 2023
Title: A New Kind of Living
Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. Hebrews 12:12-15
Apostle Paul in this passage is talking about how trials in our lives can help us show others a new way of living. People in the world are not impressed when Christians just stop doing things that everyone else is doing. But they are really impressed when Christians start living in a way that they can’t live themselves. That gets their attention! And that’s the kind of life that God wants us to live.
First, it starts with making corrections. We need to strengthen our weak arms and knees. We need to make sure we’re going in the right direction. If we keep going the way we’re going, things will only get worse. But if we stop and make changes, things can get better. We need to stop being weak, anxious, and worried. How will people see that Jesus is victorious if they look at us and see that we’re always defeated? We need to be strong and learn how to live in peace with others. And most importantly, we need to seek to be holy. Holiness means being set apart for God’s use. When we believe that Jesus lives in us and provides everything we need, we are being used by God in the right way. This is what makes others notice and admire Christians who live a life that is always enough for every situation.
The second part is about caring for others. We should make sure that no one misses out on God’s grace. We shouldn’t just focus on ourselves, but also on others who are watching us. The writer mentions something that can stop God’s grace from working in someone’s life – bitterness. Bitterness is always wrong, even if we have a good reason to feel bitter. Bitterness is like a sickness that spreads to others and makes it hard for them to grow as Christians. So, if we see someone who is bitter, we should try to help them and show them how to forgive and let go of their anger. As Christians, we should never have a bitter attitude because it comes from our selfish desires.
So, our mission as Christians, is to live our lives in a way that shows God’s goodness and love – a life that shows holiness and care deeply about others, making sure they don’t miss out on God’s grace. Our goal is to be like God and help others do the same
Thought for Reflection
How can we live our lives in a way that impresses others? By being strong, seeking holiness, and caring for others. Let’s strive to be a shining light for Jesus, so that others may see Him through us.
Song
O for a closer walk with God,
A calm and heavenly frame,
A light to shine upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb!
Prayer
Dear God, help us to live our lives in a way that honors you and impresses others. Strengthen us when we are weak, help us to be holy, and teach us to care for others. May we never let bitterness take root in our hearts, but instead, show love and forgiveness to those around us, in Jesus name we pray, Amen
