10th May Devotions
Read Philippians 4:13
When Paul wrote the words “I can do all things” was he thinking maybe he could . . . walk through walls or make a gazillion dollars?
Not so fast, friends. When it comes to following God, we have to remember that God has a plan and a purpose for each one of us. So when Paul said, “I can do ALL things,” he meant all the things that line up with God’s will for him. In other words, God won’t ask something of you that He won’t help you actually do.
Instead of thinking of this weeks memory verse in superhero, super-human terms, think about the things God asks of you that are hard to do—like being kind, sharing what you have, or telling the truth. God will give you what you need, when you need it to follow His will for you. Because God gives you what you need to keep going.
Thank God for the promise that He will help you do ALL the things He’s asked of you.
Read 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
When Paul wrote these words, he had faced so many hard things just for telling others about Jesus. You can find just a few examples in 1 Corinthians 4:11-13. But Paul reminds us that while others might make us suffer, God never abandons us.
Have you ever seen one of those weighted wobble toys? They’re inflated (like a big punching bag) with a weight on the bottom so that when you knock them down, they rise right back up. This is a picture of what Paul is talking about in today’s verse. When it comes to following God, you might be knocked down, but you aren’t knocked out. God will give you what you need to keep going because He promises He will never leave you.
If you have one of those wobble toys, say the words of the verse as you kick it around and watch it rise again. If you don’t have one, ask an adult to help you blow up a balloon. Practice tapping it to keep it in the air as you repeat the words of the verse.
Thank God for the reminder that you can keep going with determination because He will never desert you.
Read Psalm 118:6-8
Has someone ever let you down? Maybe the friend you thought was your “best friend” decided she didn’t want to be friends anymore. Maybe someone said something about you that wasn’t true or blamed you for something you didn’t do to avoid getting trouble.
People let us down all the time because people aren’t perfect. Everyone, including you, messes up. And sometimes people hurt us on accident or on purpose.
But God isn’t like us. He is perfect, righteous, holy and completely good. We can put all our trust in Him. We can keep doing the right thing when we remember that God is with us and that He will give us what we need to keep going.
Set a timer for two minutes.
Jog in place as you repeat today’s verse.
Can you repeat the verse as you jog without giving up?
Ask God to help you keep doing the right thing, no matter what others are doing because He is with you.
Read Exodus 14:14
Ever tried the cookie challenge? With an adult’s permission, grab a cookie or cracker from the kitchen. Look up at the ceiling, place the cookie on your forehead and then, using only the muscles in your face, move the cookie from your forehead to your mouth. Were you tempted to reach up and grab the cookie to put it in your mouth?
Being still is hard and it was really hard for the Israelites, God’s chosen people. They were trapped between the raging Red Sea in front of them and Pharaoh’s mighty army coming up fast behind. When Moses spoke these words, he had no idea what God was going to do. And then in one miraculous act, God parted the sea and the Israelites walked forward to freedom.
Being still was probably the last thing the Israelites wanted to do, but they chose to trust God. Sometimes determination requires us to be still, to listen to God and then move when He tells us to move. We need to stop and listen, instead of moving ahead in our own strength.
For a few moments, bow your head and just be quiet. Read today’s verse and ask God to help you understand what it means to be still and let Him fight for you.