Bible Reading: Romans 4:5-8; Ephesians 2:8-9

"Gotcha!" Eli shouted as he took another of Adrian's game pieces off the board. Adrian groaned, then gave Eli a playful shove.

"Adrian," said Eli's mom as she came into the room, "you're welcome to stay for dinner if you'd like. I'm making roast chicken and biscuits."

"Really? Thanks!" said Adrian. "I love your cooking!"

"Call your mom and make sure it's okay," said Eli's mom. "Tell her we'll drop you off on our way to church--or you can come to church with us."

"Okay," said Adrian. After Eli's mom left, Adrian turned to Eli. "You sure have to work hard to be Christians, don't you?"

"What do you mean?" asked Eli.

"You go to church all the time," replied Adrian. "And you can't do certain things."

"But that's not what makes us Christians," said Eli. "Trusting that Jesus died and rose again to save us is the only thing that counts." Adrian just shrugged.

When Eli's mom called them into the kitchen, Adrian's mouth watered at the smell of the chicken and biscuits. "Is there anything I can do?" he asked. "Do you need help setting the table?"

"Nope," said Eli's mom. "Everything's already done." She picked up a steaming dish. "All you need to do is eat!"

They sat down and Eli's mom said a prayer, then she passed the chicken to Adrian. "This looks delicious!" he said as he stuck his fork into a leg. He bit into it and closed his eyes. "Wow. I could never cook like this!"

Eli's mom smiled. "Adrian, I overheard you say that being a Christian seems like a lot of work, but it's Jesus who did all the work. We go to church and trust God to help us do what's right because Jesus has saved us and we love Him, not to become Christians. Salvation--being saved from sin and having eternal life--is a gift from God." She passed the bowl of biscuits to Adrian. "It's just like this meal I made. You don't need to work for it. Just take it."

A smile spread across Adrian's face. "I think I will." He bit into a biscuit and chewed it thoughtfully. "Can I come to church with you tonight? I want to hear more about this gift from God."

–Esther M. Bailey

How About You?
Have you taken the gift of salvation? There's nothing you can do to earn a gift. You can't become a Christian by doing good things or going to church. You only become a Christian by accepting the gift of eternal life that Jesus died to give you. Receive that gift today by trusting in Him. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.)

Today's Key Verse:
The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NKJV) (Romans 6:23)

Today's Key Thought:
Receive God's gift of eternal life

Bible Reading: Psalm 119:97-104

Gabriella read Mom's grocery list as she walked down the familiar aisles at the store. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a box of chocolate cream-filled snack cakes sitting on the shelf, and her mouth watered. I wish Mom had put Choco-Cakes on this list, she thought.

As she walked back to the produce section, Gabriella thought about those Choco-Cakes and how good they would have tasted. She found her mother and placed the items from her list into the cart. "Why the frown?" asked Mom. "Are you upset about something?"

"No," answered Gabriella. "I was just wishing I could have picked up Choco-Cakes instead of all this stuff. I just love those things!" She rolled her eyes dramatically. "When I walk past them, I can almost hear them call out my name. 'Gabriella--I'm over here! Buy me! Eat me!' They're so good!" She and Mom both laughed.

"And what does the honey say when you walk by?" asked Mom as she took a jar of honey from a floor display. "It's sweet. Does it call your name too?"

Gabriella shrugged. "No. Honey's okay, but I don't ever crave it. Do you?"

"No, but I think a lot of people in the Bible did," Mom said thoughtfully. "Some verses I read in the book of Psalms this morning included one that mentions honey, where the author says God's words are sweeter than honey."

"I remember that verse," said Gabriella. "We had to learn it for church once. Maybe it would make more sense to me if I liked honey better."

"The writer must have liked honey a lot," said Mom. "But he's saying that he likes God's Word even better. But for you…" Mom paused. "Why not think of it this way? God wants you to be hungry for His Word--the Bible--because it tells us what Jesus did to save us and reminds us of who we are as God's children. Through it, God gives us wisdom and encouragement for our lives. God wants you to be more hungry for His Word than for anything else in this world, including Choco-Cakes!"

Gabriella grinned. "That I can understand," she said. "That would mean I like God's Word a whole lot!"

–Jaunita Urbach

How About You?
Are you hungry for God and His Word? Think of something you really like to eat and compare your desire for that to your desire to know what God says. God wants you to enjoy the good things He provides for you to eat, but He also wants to give you spiritual nourishment through His Word. Taste its sweetness every day by taking a few minutes to read some verses from it.

Today's Key Verse:
How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (NKJV) (Psalm 119:103)

Today's Key Thought:
Be hungry for God's Word

Bible Reading: Hebrews 11:17-29

Dimitri stood in place on the race track, alert and ready to spring into action for the final lap of the relay race. When his teammate passed him the baton, Dimitri sprinted down the track and was soon at full speed. Pushing himself to his limit, he zoomed ahead of his opponent. They were a full yard apart by the end of his run, and the crowd cheered as he crossed the finish line. "You did it, Dimitri! You did it!" his teammates called out.

"That team we were running against hasn't been beaten in four years!" he told Grandpa on the way home.

Grandpa grinned. "But you beat them today!"

A few months later, Dimitri and his mom arrived home after attending Grandpa's funeral. Grandpa had died of a heart attack, and Dimitri was still reeling from it. "I'm sure going to miss him," he said, tears filling his eyes. "He was the best grandpa in the world. I guess he was extra special to me because Dad died before I can remember."

"I know," said Mom. "Grandpa loved Jesus and cared so much for other people--especially you."

Dimitri nodded. "A lot of people will miss him." He absentmindedly picked up a picture of his relay team with the trophy they had won. "I'm glad Grandpa was here when our team won that trophy this year."

"Yes, he enjoyed watching you race," Mom said, looking over Dimitri's shoulder at the picture. "Did you know that the Bible compares living the Christian life to running a race? In a way, it's like the relay races you've been running. Christians run in their appointed time and place in life. When they finish their race, others take over and carry on."

"Well, then Grandpa was one of the best runners ever!" said Dimitri.

Mom smiled and nodded in agreement. "In all he did and said, he carried the truth and love of Jesus like a baton as he ran. I know he wanted to pass that baton on to you. Take it and run the very best you can, trusting God to help you share the love of Jesus and the truth of how He died and rose again to save us with others. Will you do that?" Dimitri wiped his eyes and nodded.

–Mary Rose Pearson

How About You?
Did you know that you're a runner in the race of life? The heroes of the faith referred to in Hebrews 11--and many other faithful Christians throughout the ages--have run ahead of you. Now it's your turn to run the race by trusting in Jesus and sharing His love and truth with others. Let Him help you be a good runner in life's race, knowing He's won you the prize of eternal life and will get you to the finish line.

Today's Key Verse:
Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. (CSB) (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Today's Key Thought:
Run well in life's race

Bible Reading: Isaiah 43:1-5; Hebrews 4:14-16

As Noel stood near the visitor center on Trail Ridge Road, she could see patches of snow far up on the mountainsides. The few trees in the area above the timberline had been dwarfed and twisted by the icy winds of winter. But summer had come, and tiny white and yellow flowers were waving their bright heads as if dancing to music.

"Look, Noel," said Dad when they walked over to see the flowers in a field next to the visitor center. He knelt among them and gently cupped one of the fragile, white blossoms in his hand. "See how tiny this flower is! But isn't it beautiful? There must be a million of these!"

"That one has a torn petal though," said Noel.

"I see that," answered Dad. "Yet here it is--adding its own little bit to the beauty of this place. Even though it's tiny and not perfect, it has a purpose in being here--just like all the other things in God's world." Noel wondered what her father was getting at, but she didn't ask.

As they drove back down the mountain a little later, Dad said, "I think the purpose of that little flower was to remind me of you, Noel. You've lived through some cold and blustery times in your life."

Noel knew what Dad meant. She had been sick many of her early childhood years. As a result, she had to wear hearing aids. She was also a grade behind other kids her age in school.

"I know you sometimes feel small and unimportant," continued Dad. "But I want you to remember that you have a purpose. You mean so much to us--and to God."

Noel thought about the tiny flower adding its small bit of beauty to the world. She gave her dad a little smile. "And you think I can add a little beauty to where God has put me?"

"I know you can," Dad assured her. "You already do. Jesus died for you so you could be God's child, and He understands everything you've been through. Because you know Him, you can show the beauty of His love to others."

Noel grinned. "Okay," she said. "If a tiny flower with a torn petal can add beauty to the world, I can too! And with God helping me, I will!"

–Trudy VanderVeen

How About You?
Do you compare yourself with others and feel like you don't measure up? Do you have some disability or scar that makes you feel self-conscious? God loves you just as you are, and He has a purpose for your life. Jesus died and rose again so you could be part of God's family and live with Him forever. You are very precious and valuable--to other people and especially to God.

Today's Key Verse:
I [God] have called you by your name; you are mine…you are precious in my sight and honored, and I love you. (CSB) (Isaiah 43:1, 4)

Today's Key Thought:
You are valuable

Bible Reading: John 13:34-35; Romans 5:6-8; Galatians 5:22-23

On a Saturday morning hike, Jude and his father came to the entrance of a tunnel that went under a road. "Hello in there!" Jude called out. "Hello!"

"Hello…" came the sound of an echo. "Hello…"

Jude grinned. "I'm Jude!" he shouted. "Jude!"

"Jude…Jude…" his voice echoed back.

Soon they were through the tunnel and heading across the next open field. "Hello there!" yelled Jude once again, but there was no answering echo. Jude laughed. "I knew there wouldn't be an echo out here. I just thought I'd try it anyway."

"When sound waves hit the hard walls of the tunnel, they bounce back as an echo," Dad explained. "Out here in this open space, there aren't any obstacles like that, so the sound keeps going."

After a good hike, Jude and Dad headed home. "I hope Izzy and Ella are gone somewhere by the time we get home," Jude told his dad. "They're so annoying."

"Well, your sisters have some complaints about you too--they say you pick on them all the time," replied Dad. "I think all of you should work on getting along with each other."

"Oh, come on, Dad," said Jude. "You know what a pain sisters can be. You had three of them!"

"Yes," said Dad, "and they were a pain at times, but I'm sure they'd tell you how much of a pain I could be too. Besides, God tells us to love others and live in peace with them. That includes sisters."

"I've heard that before," said Jude. "All the time, it seems--home, church, Bible club. Everyone's always telling me to love others and be kind."

"That's because, as Christians, it's important for us to show others the love God has shown us." Dad looked at Jude thoughtfully. "Remember how everything you said in the tunnel echoed back to you? Well, as God's children, our words and actions should echo His. The Bible tells us what God is like and how He sent His own Son to die for us so we could be freed from sin. God showed His perfect love to us through Jesus, and He empowers us to be echoes of that love. Trust Him to help you echo the love of Jesus in your relationships with others--including your sisters."

–Nance E. Keyes

How About You?
Does your life echo the love of God? The Bible tells us of God's great love and how Jesus gave His life to save us from sin and death. If you know Jesus as your Savior, He gives you power through the Holy Spirit to love others the way He does. Look up Galatians 5:22-23 to see some ways we show God's love in our relationships. Then trust God to help you be an echo of the love He has shown us.

Today's Key Verse:
We love because he first loved us. (CSB) (1 John 4:19)

Today's Key Thought:
Echo God's love