Bible Reading: Isaiah 64:6-7; Ephesians 2:1-5

"Okay, Dad!" Mateo exclaimed as he ran into the garage. "I'm ready to help with Rocco's doghouse now."

Mateo picked up a hammer and nail. He positioned the nail carefully and pounded it into the board. "Did you see that, Dad? I drove the nail in perfectly straight!" He stepped back to admire his work.

"Yes, that's great," said Dad. "You've gotten really good at this!"

Mateo smiled. "When I first started, I would hurry, and the nails would bend when they went in."

"Yes, and look at you now!" said Dad.

Dad and Mateo continued to work on the doghouse. When it was finished, they lifted it off the workshop table and brought it out to the yard.

"Come on, Rocco," called Mateo. "Come see your house!"

Rocco wagged his tail and let out a happy bark, running right into his new dwelling.

Dad smiled. "You know," he said, "this project kind of reminds me of what Jesus did for us."

"How so?" asked Mateo.

"Well," said Dad, "the Bible says that because we are sinners, even the good things we do are like filthy rags. I guess you could say our good deeds are like bent nails."

"Bent nails?" Mateo frowned. "I'm not sure I understand."

Dad laughed. "You're right. That wasn't my clearest word picture. I guess what I'm saying is that bent nails weren't good enough for this doghouse and, in a similar way, our good works aren't good enough to save us. Nothing we could ever say or do can earn God's love or make us right with Him. It all comes down to Jesus's work on the cross."

Dad picked up a hammer and nail. "Jesus was perfect, and He was nailed to the cross for our sins because we weren't able to save ourselves from sin and death. That's how much He loves us."

Mateo nodded. "God really loves us a lot!"

"Yes," said Dad. "As Christians, we know we belong to Jesus. And even though we know that our good deeds are a lot like a crudely constructed doghouse, we know His love for us is secure. We see that in His work on the cross. I hope we'll both remember His love whenever we see this doghouse."

-Darlene Anderson

How About You?
Do you know how much Jesus loves you? He loves us all so much that He came to die on the cross for our sin--the things we do that hurt God and others. As Christians, when we see wood and nails, they can be a reminder that God loves us and that Jesus beat sin and death through His death and resurrection. If you don't know Jesus as your Savior, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page.

Today's Key Verse:
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags. (NIV) (Isaiah 64:6)

Today's Key Thought:
Our good deeds can't save us

Bible Reading: Colossians 3:1-15

"Mom! Where are you?" called Finnley when she got home from school.

"Helping Ella with her bath," answered Mom. Finnley ran upstairs. "Actually, we're finished," Mom said. "Ella

just needs to get dried off and dressed."

Four-year-old Ella peeped out from behind the shower curtain. "Mommy, I want my red pants and flowered shirt."

"But honey, you were wearing that before your bath, and it's dirty," said Mom. "You can wear this nice, clean yellow outfit."

"I want the red one!" protested Ella, pouting. "It's my bestest one!"

"But you're clean now," Finnley said, "so you have to wear clean clothes."

"Exactly!" said Mom.

"Hey, that's kinda like what Mrs. Richards said in my class at church yesterday," said Finnley. "She talked about trusting in Jesus and taking off our old self and putting on a new one. I didn't quite get it, but it's like Ella needing to change her dirty old clothes for clean ones, right?"

Mom nodded. "Before we receive Jesus into our hearts, we're like Ella before her bath--and you know what that's like!" she said with a grin.

Finnley giggled as she pictured her little sister, clothes spattered with mud, face sticky and sweaty, arms and legs covered with dust and dirt. "I sure do! When we trust Jesus to save us from sin and forgive our wrongs, it's like taking a bath and getting all cleaned up, right?"

"Yes, and after that, we must put away our dirty clothes--sinful actions like lying and cheating and attitudes of envy, anger, and pride. Sometimes we don't want to do that. We cling to those things, like Ella clings to her favorite red outfit. But our old clothes--our old selves--are no longer fit to be part of our lives because Jesus

has made us new people. Sin isn't a part of who we are anymore because Jesus has freed us from it." Mom helped Ella slip into the yellow outfit. "We need to wear fresh, new clothes of kindness, humility, patience, and love that are appropriate for our new life in Christ."

"I like this yellow outfit," announced Ella suddenly. "I want to wear it all the time!"

-Tanya Ferdinandusz

How About You?
Have you trusted Jesus to forgive your sins and make you clean? If so, can others see that He has made you a new person? Or are you clinging to sinful habits that were part of your old way of life? Put sinful things like lying, greed, selfishness, and being unkind away and put on your new self. Clothe yourself in the love Jesus has given you so others can see that you belong to Him.

Today's Key Verse:
Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! (NLT) (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Today's Key Thought:
Live your new life

Bible Reading: Isaiah 43:18-19; Lamentations 3:22-23; 2 Corinthians 5:17

"What's your favorite present?" Ava asked her best friend, Luciana. It was the first time they'd had a chance to get together since Christmas.

"A bracelet-making kit," Luciana answered. "It has beads and charms in all different colors and shapes!" Luciana held up her arm to show Ava the bracelet she made.

Ava drew her finger across the mermaid, unicorn, and rainbow charms dangling from Luciana's arm. "That's so pretty!" she said with admiration.

Luciana smiled. "What about you?"

"A vanishing artist board," said Ava. "I love it! It looks like a small white board on an easel. You paint with water and a brush, then whatever you draw fades away in about five minutes."

Luciana looked confused. "Why would you want to paint something that's just going to disappear?"

"I already have plenty of paper, paints, markers, colored pencils--all the stuff that's permanent," Ava explained. "I like them too, but it's fun to keep starting over on a new page, without any crumpled papers to remind me of my mistakes. My mess-ups completely vanish, without a trace!"

"But what if you liked what you painted, and now it's gone?" asked Luciana.

Ava laughed. "Then I'll do it again on paper."

Luciana thought about it some more, then smiled. "Hey, Ava--your Christmas gift reminds me of the gift God gave us! A verse in the Bible says that every morning, Jesus makes us new again--although my mom says it's actually a lot more often than that! Just like your vanishing board, He wipes us clean by forgiving us for anything bad we may have thought, said, or done."

"Anything and everything?" Ava asked.

Luciana nodded. "He forgives us for all our sins when we trust in Him, and when we confess the wrong things we do to Him, He gives us a new day to try again. In God's eyes, our mistakes have disappeared!"

"I know something else that can disappear," said Ava.

"What's that?"

"Those chocolate chip cookies I smell baking in the oven!" Ava shouted. Then Luciana and Ava did their own vanishing act--out of the bedroom and into the kitchen.

-Bonnie Carr

How About You?
Do you wish you could erase some of the words you've said or things you've done? We've all made mistakes and said and done things that were wrong. That's why Jesus came to earth and died on the cross--to take the punishment we deserve for our wrongdoing. When you trust Him as your Savior, your sins are forgiven, and He will give you a fresh start whenever you need it. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page.)

Today's Key Verse:
Because of the Lord's faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end. They are new every morning. (CSB) (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Today's Key Thought:
Jesus erases our mistakes

Bible Reading: Psalm 119:145-149

"Where are you guys going for lunch today?" asked Alma. Her sister Carmen's fiancé had arrived, and they were ready to leave.

"We're going to that little restaurant called Your Special Spot," Joshua replied. "Only we call it Our Special Spot."

"You go there a lot, don't you?" asked Alma. "Why do you always go there?"

"We don't always go there, but it is our favorite place," said Carmen. "It's cozy and quiet--a good place to talk."

"We went there on our first date," Joshua said, squeezing Carmen's hand.

"And that's where Joshua proposed to me," added Carmen. "We love spending time together in our special place."

After they left, Alma wandered into the living room. "Carmen and Joshua spend a lot of time together," she murmured to herself. "I guess that must be because they love each other."

As she thought about it, Alma remembered the sermon she had heard at church earlier that week. "Jesus loves us and wants to spend time with us," Pastor Grant had said. "When we set aside time to talk with Him and listen to what He says to us in the Bible, it helps our relationship with Him deepen and grow." Alma was trying to do that, but sometimes it was hard to find a place where she could be alone. She shared a room with her younger sister, Leah, and often when she thought about having devotions, Leah was in the room. I know! Alma thought. I need a special place to talk to Jesus, just like Carmen and Joshua have a special place to talk to each other. Where could it be? She decided to ask her mom.

"That's a great idea!" Mom said after Alma explained what she wanted. "Let's see…I think we could arrange a corner in the basement. You can use that comfortable chair and the little table."

"I'll keep my Bible and journal on that shelf under the window," Alma added.

"You could make a 'Do not disturb' sign for the basement door," Mom suggested. "That way, the rest of the family will know not to bother you."

Alma grew more enthusiastic as she arranged her special place for her time with the Lord.

-Hazel W. Marett

How About You?
Is it hard to find privacy when you want to spend time with the Lord? Jesus experienced that too when He was on earth, so He got up early and went to a quiet spot to pray. If possible, arrange for a special place to meet with Him each day. It can be your own room, a quiet corner in your house or apartment, or even somewhere outside. Find a quiet place to spend time with Jesus, and then meet Him there regularly.

Today's Key Verse:
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (NIV) (Mark 1:35)

Today's Key Thought:
Take time to meet with Jesus

Bible Reading: Romans 8:28-32

Alyssa piled her taco shell with meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and her father's special taco sauce. "This is great, Dad!" she exclaimed between bites. "You should be on one of those master chef shows on TV."

Dad laughed. "I'm glad you like it, Alyssa, but I'm no master chef."

Alyssa looked at her taco. "There's something in your sauce that makes it special and different. Can you tell me what it is--or is it a secret recipe?"

Dad laughed again. "It's no secret. I think cumin gives Mexican-style foods their unique flavor, so I double the amount of ground cumin in my sauce recipe. I also add a little sweet red pepper. I can show you how to make the sauce the next time we need some."

A few days later, Alyssa noticed the bottle of ground cumin on the spice rack in the cupboard. She opened it, and the smell reminded her of her dad's delicious tacos. Mmmm, she thought. That smells so good! She shook a little of the powder into her hand and licked it. "Oh, yuck!" she said, nearly choking. She ran to the sink, spitting and sputtering, and rinsed her mouth with water.

Alyssa found her dad and told him what happened. "Why does that spice taste so bad? It sure made the taco sauce good."

"Good taco sauce is more than just one ingredient," said Dad. "A master chef, or even an ordinary one like me, blends the right ingredients in the right amounts so that it makes something that tastes good." He smiled. "You know, Alyssa, life is a little like taco sauce."

"Like taco sauce!" exclaimed Alyssa. "How is it like that?"

"We often wish our lives could be easy and fun with none of the hard stuff," Dad explained. "But God allows difficult things into our lives so we can grow in our relationship with Jesus and be more like Him. We usually just see difficulties as bad things--like how you'd think cumin tasted bad if you hadn't first tasted it in my taco sauce. But God doesn't see those difficulties the same way we do. He uses them to flavor our lives with the love and grace of Jesus."

Alyssa smiled. "Just like a master chef."

-Catherine Runyon

How About You?
Did you know God is a master chef? He has a recipe--a plan--for your life. There are many kinds of spices--hot, sweet, bitter, and fragrant--that lend their special touch to foods. Today's Bible passage and Key Verse remind us that God allows us to go through many kinds of experiences to make our lives beautiful. He uses the difficulties we face to help us learn to trust Jesus and grow to be more like Him. Trust Him to be with you in hard times and to use those experiences for good.

Today's Key Verse:
We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (NIV) (Romans 8:28)

Today's Key Thought:
God has a purpose for everything