Kids Bible Devotional for December 26, 2024
Listen Here
Focus Verse
Proverbs 4:10 My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. (NLT)
Jump Start
Let’s see what I have to do today. Go to school, go to band practice, do my homework. Oh, yeah, there’s the book report due next week. Ugh! I haven’t even read the book. Better put that down, too. Then Dad asked me to mow the lawn…
Let’s face it, life can get hectic at times. We race through life from one obligation to another, and in no time, we burn out. Why is that? There is a famous object lesson used for illustrating priorities. The objective is to fill a large jar with all the rocks, pebbles, sand, and water that has been provided. It only works when you start with the big stuff first, which in this case are the rocks. Next go in the pebbles, followed by sand and water. To attempt it any other way, you’d end up not being able to fit it all in.
The purpose of the illustration is to show how important it is to focus on the big stuff first. The ones with the highest priorities. As Christians, we are to put God first. Jesus said the first and greatest commandment of all times is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
Today's Devotion
Chase readied his missiles, his thumb hovered millimeters above the red launch button. As soon as he locked his target between the crosshairs, he fired.
Boom!
His plane shook violently. The gauges on his engine panel went berserk. He was losing altitude fast. In his pursuit, he hadn’t noticed the fighter jet on his tail. The right wing burst into flames. He’d been hit.
Engaging the thrusters, he yanked the throttle back and rolled hard right. All his alarms sounded at once. His aircraft shook violently as if coming apart at the seams.
“Come on! Come on!” he muttered.
Black smoke billowed past the cockpit window. The engines let out a ghastly cough just before they fell silent. The nose dipped, filling his field of view with the choppy ocean waters below. 10,000 feet. 8,700 feet. 5,500 feet. The plane began to spin. Without control, he braced for impact. A futile gesture. The game was over.
Through the mania, a voice called his name. His father’s voice.
“Chase, time for Family Devotion!”
Splash! Kaboom!
“Oh, man. I died.” Chase moaned. He hit restart. “Be there in in a sec,” he called back.
“Come on, Chase. Turn off that game. This is more important.”
Chase hit pause and tossed his controller to the side. He moped into the living room and plopped onto the couch.
Dad gave Chase a stern stare. “Chase, you know we have devotion every night at this time. Why were you late?”
“I was playing Fighter Combat 2000,” he replied. “This is the best flight simulator game around. You know I want to be a fighter pilot someday.”
“Just like your Uncle Charlie, I know. What was that blue book that he gave you not long ago?”
“You mean the Profession of Arms where it lists the core values of airmen?”
“That’s the one. And what’s the section called that talks about duty, loyalty, and respect?”
“’Service Before Self’,” replied Chase.
“That’s the one. The same principle applies to God. Matthew 6:33, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. This time we spend in God’s word is like that airmen core value. Service to God before ourselves. God comes first in everything we do.”
“Duly noted.” Chase grabbed the Bible off the coffee table. “Airmen Chase Andrews reporting for duty.”
Wrap Up
In our theme verse, Solomon, speaking about wisdom, tells his son to listen to him and do all that he says to do. This will ensure a long and prosperous life. Solomon also writes in Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Wisdom is grounded in honoring God. Wisdom is knowledge applied. We know in our hearts that God comes first. We understand that we are to obey God’s Word. But to put it into practice with a glad and joyful heart? Now that’s wisdom.
In your big jar called life, put the big rocks in first. Make God your #1 priority. This is how to make the rest of the stuff fit.
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