Bible Reading: Psalm 25:1-5; Lamentations 3:24-26

"I don't really see the use of praying about things," Abigail said as she hobbled to the refrigerator one morning. "I've been praying my sprained ankle would heal, but God hasn't answered my prayer." She rummaged around in the fridge. "Where's the orange juice?"

"I'm afraid we ran out," said Mom. "But there are some oranges in there--why don't you squeeze one of those?"

Abigail shook her head. "That takes too long," she said, shutting the refrigerator door. "I'll just buy some from the vending machine at school."

"Mom!" Jude called out from the family room. "The internet's not working again!" Mom and Abigail heard him get up to restart the wireless router. "This thing is so annoying," he grumbled loudly.

Abigail groaned. "That router needs to be replaced. Even when it does work, the internet's really slow. It took me forever to look up facts about mammals for my science homework last night."

"Really?" said Mom. "It took you forever?"

"Well, twenty minutes."

Mom smiled and shook her head. "It sounds like our gotta-have-it-now culture is giving you and Jude an instant gratification mentality." She eyed Abigail thoughtfully. "And judging from what you said a few minutes ago, it sounds like that attitude might be creeping into your prayer life too!"

Abigail frowned. "What's an instant gratification mentality?"

"It's when we're so used to having things right away that the smallest delay becomes unacceptable to us--like having an internet connection that's not lightning-fast or taking a few minutes to squeeze an orange," Mom explained. "It can make us think God should answer our prayers instantly too."

Abigail shrugged. "Okay, but we're supposed to expect answers, aren't we?"

"Yes, but asking God for answers to prayer isn't the same as looking up answers to homework on the internet," said Mom. "God's timing doesn't always match ours--He is much more patient than we are. Jesus patiently walks with us through the difficult circumstances we face in life--such as a sprained ankle that needs time to heal--so we can learn to trust Him and become more like Him. When we remember how patient and caring He is with us, we can be patient and wait for His answers. They'll come when the time is right."

-Tanya Ferdinandusz

How About You?
Do you have an instant gratification mentality? Do you always want things right now--if not sooner? There's nothing wrong with using modern conveniences that save us time and effort, but God's timing is different from our fast-paced world. Trust Him to help you be patient like He is as you bring your requests to Him in prayer and to answer at the time He knows is best.

Today's Key Verse:
Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; I wait for you all day long. (CSB) (Psalm 25:5)

Today's Key Thought:
Wait for God's answers

Bible Reading: 2 Peter 1:3-9

Calvin waited with his father at the airport. Soon they were greeting their friend Mr. Sato, who had come from Japan to visit.

When they arrived home, Mr. Sato handed Calvin a package. Calvin eagerly opened it, but he wasn't sure what it was. "I'll help you put that together," Mr. Sato said. "If it's okay with your dad, we can go out to the backyard and assemble it now."

"Sure," said Dad, so they went out and got busy fitting pieces together. When it was finished, three plastic fish billowed in the wind at the end of a bamboo pole.

"In Japan we have a special day for children," Mr. Sato told them. "We set up a pole with a fish--a carp like this--waving from it. The carp is a determined fish. It swims upstream and overcomes obstacles. One of the things we teach our children is to be brave and strong like that." Mr. Sato paused. "But many kids in Japan don't know they need Jesus," he added sadly. "They don't know they need Him to set them free from sin and make them strong enough to swim upstream and do what's right even if other kids don't." He smiled at Calvin. "I'm glad you know Jesus, Calvin. I hope you'll remember to trust Him to give you the strength you need to swim against the current."

When Calvin got into bed, he thought about the carp swimming upstream. I wonder if I'd be able to swim upstream if my friends tried to talk me into doing something I know I shouldn't, he thought. Some of the things we've been doing lately haven't been all that good, but I don't want them to think I'm a wimp. He was still wondering about it when he fell asleep.

At school the next day, his friend Grant approached him. "Hey, some of us are gonna skip gym class and walk over to the park. Mr. Tillman never takes attendance, so no one will know. You in?"

Calvin took a deep breath and said a silent prayer. Then he shook his head. "No, I'm not going to do stuff like that anymore." There, I said it! he thought. Thanks, Jesus, for helping me swim upstream.

-Matilda H. Nordtvedt

How About You?
Do you do what other kids do because you're afraid they'll make fun of you if you don't? Any fish can float downstream, but it takes a strong one to swim against the current. If you know Jesus as your Savior, He has given you that strength. When you're tempted to do something wrong, trust Him to help you swim upstream and do the right thing.

Today's Key Verse:
Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. (NKJV) (Ephesians 6:10)

Today's Key Thought:
Say no to wrong things

Bible Reading: Matthew 5:15-16

On a sunny summer afternoon, Kayla and her parents decided to take a walk through the woods. When they first moved to the farm, Dad had cleared a path that looped through the woods at the back of their property.

Kayla loved walking in the woods with her parents. She would often just stand still and take in the sounds and smells of the forest. It was always so peaceful and beautiful.

As she rounded a curve in the path, something caught Kayla's eye. "Mom, Dad, come look at this!" she called.

Mom and Dad walked over to where Kayla was standing. On the ground, nestled between a bunch of leaves and sticks, was a bright purple flower.

"Wow, that flower was hidden well," Dad said.

Mom nodded. "If you hadn't been standing right there, we would have missed it."

"It's too pretty to just leave hidden out here. Can I pick it and take it home?" Kayla asked.

Mom checked her phone to make sure it was okay to pick, and then Kayla carefully picked the flower and held on to it as they continued on around the path. Once they reached the house, Kayla grabbed a vase from under the kitchen sink, filled it with water, and placed the flower in it. She set the vase on the table so they all could enjoy it.

"It's so beautiful!" Kayla exclaimed.

During devotions that evening, Dad read some verses from the book of Matthew. "You know, that flower you found in the woods today is a good example of this Bible lesson," he said when he finished reading. "The flower was just so bright and beautiful that you couldn't leave it hidden in the woods. You wanted everyone to see it. Well, this verse is saying that's what we're like as Christians. We have the light of Jesus in us, and we shouldn't try to hide it. We need to shine bright like that flower so that others can see the beauty of His love in our lives."

That night when Kayla went to bed, she prayed that the Lord would help her be a shining light for Him. She wanted others to see Jesus in her life.

-Lisa Fuller

How About You?
Does your life reflect the light of Jesus? Can others see Him when they look at you? As Christians, it's important for us to be a light for Jesus. Others should be able to see His love and goodness in the way we treat them and know that He makes a difference in our lives. Don't keep your light hidden--shine brightly for Jesus today and every day!

Today's Key Verse:
You are the light of the world--like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. (NLT) (Matthew 5:14 )

Today's Key Thought:
Be a light for Jesus

Bible Reading: Luke 15:3-7

"Stryker! Where are you?" Zion tried to hold back the tears as he searched the barn for his beagle pup. Zion had made the mistake of opening the front door before he'd placed Stryker in his harness. Now Stryker was gone.

"Stryker, come here!" Zion looked in each of the open stalls, hoping to see that cute white snout and those curious brown eyes peek out through the hay.

"Did you find him?" Dad walked into the barn carrying a rain poncho and two flashlights.

"He's not in here, Dad." Zion wiped at his tears with his sleeve. "Where could he be? It's getting dark outside, and it's starting to rain."

Squatting down to Zion's height, Dad looked him in the eye. "I don't think Stryker's gone far, Zion. We've got a big farm, and he's a little pup. But don't worry. We'll keep looking until we find him."

Zion nodded, wiped his eyes once more, and followed Dad down the path toward the pond. The rain pelted his poncho, and the wind kept tugging his hood off his head, but Zion was determined not to go home without Stryker.

Two hours later, Zion and Dad found Stryker huddled beneath a thicket of pine trees at the far end of the cornfield. His coat was covered with mud, but his tail beat a steady rhythm on Zion's chest when he scooped him up in a hug.

"Come on, buddy." Dad took Stryker in his strong arms. "Let's get home so we can all get warm and dry."

"You know something, Dad," Zion said as he followed his dad home. "What we did tonight for Stryker is a lot like what God does for us."

"You think so?"

"Sure." Zion looked at the moon that was now peeking out from behind the clouds. "God loves us so much that He doesn't want us to be lost and without Him. Jesus came to find us and save us."

"That's right," said Dad.

As they reached their front porch, Zion smiled as he opened the door. "It feels really good to be loved that much, doesn't it, Dad?"

His dad smiled back. "It sure does."

-Vickie Price Taylor

How About You?
Do you ever feel lost or alone? God loves you, and He doesn't want you to be lost. He sent His Son, Jesus, to save you from sin and give you an eternal home with Him. He promises to always be there for you. You don't have to be lost and alone anymore. Trust in Jesus today. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page.)

Today's Key Verse:
The Son of Man [Jesus] has come to seek and to save the lost. (CSB) (Luke 19:10 )

Today's Key Thought:
Jesus came to find you

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; Ephesians 4:2

"Your move, Tim," said Mom after she placed a wooden tile atop the precarious stack.

Timothy picked a tile from the bottom of the tower and carefully wiggled it out. The stack swayed for a second before tumbling over, sending blocks all over the table.

Mom began gathering the wooden pieces scattered across the table into a pile. "I got a call today from Adam's mom. She said Adam got in trouble today for fighting with a teacher. She told me your name came up once or twice. What happened?"

Timothy stooped down to grab a wooden tile beneath his chair. "I know Adam is my best friend, but he's been so moody lately. Today he blew up when Mr. Green took his comic book. I told Adam he should put it away before Mr. Green saw him goofing off, but he didn't listen. I think Mr. Green heard me, which is how he found out about the comic book in the first place. Adam was really mad at me."

"How about one last round before we call it a night?" Mom asked, stacking the wooden tiles into a tower on top of the table. "It sounds like Adam is going through a rough time. When I talked to his mom, she told me that her divorce was just finalized yesterday."

Timothy pulled a piece from the middle of the tower and moved it to the top. "I don't know what to do for him. I don't even know if he wants to be my friend anymore."

"It sounds like he needs a friend now more than ever," said Mom. "Adam's situation is a lot like this game." Mom picked up the piece that Timothy had just laid on top. "With everything he's going through, Adam probably feels like someone is taking tiles from his tower. But a good friend who's supportive and patient can put some stability back in his life." She slowly put the tile back in its hole.

"So you're saying I should be patient with Adam, even if he doesn't like me right now?" asked Timothy.

"It isn't just me who says it," Mom said. "God is always patient with us, especially when we don't deserve it. And He wants us to show love and patience to others."

-Josh Mosey

How About You?
Are you patient and kind with your friends, even when they aren't being very nice to you? Life can be hard, and sometimes it feels like someone is taking tiles from our towers. Those are the times when we need good friends the most. Jesus is that kind of friend--one who shows us patience and love when it seems like everything is tumbling down around us. Trust Him to help you be a good friend like Him.

Today's Key Verse:
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (NKJV) (Proverbs 17:17)

Today's Key Thought:
Be patient with your friends