NCCKids Weekday Devotions | Aug. 3-7
August 3:
Proverbs 2:3-6 (NIRV)
Let your ears listen to wisdom.
Apply your heart to understanding.
Call out for the ability to be wise.
Cry out for understanding.
Look for it as you would look for silver.
Search for it as you would search for hidden treasure.
Then you will understand how to have respect for the Lord.
You will find out how to know God.
The Lord gives wisdom.
Knowledge and understanding come from his mouth.
Discussion Prompt for little children:
Did you know that a parent's biggest, most important job is to help their child learn to love God and walk with Jesus? That’s a big responsibility, isn’t it? But you know what? The Bible says if we ask God for wisdom and for guidance that he will give it to us! Isn’t that amazing?!
Would you pray with me that God would give our family wisdom as we walk with Jesus together? Is there anything you would like to ask God about? (Consider sharing something you are asking God for wisdom about.)
Discussion Guide for older children and teens:
What do you think it means to ‘apply your heart to understanding?’
-Potential answer: There’s a difference between just knowing facts and letting them affect us. Knowing that there are hungry people in our neighborhood and letting that information affect our hearts can be two different things.
What does ‘find(ing) out how to know God’ have to do with wisdom and understanding?
-Potential answer: We should desire to understand things the way God understands them.
Before we pray together, is there anything you need wisdom for that we can talk to God about?
August 4:
Proverbs 3:27 (NIRV)
Don’t hold back good from those who are worthy of it.
Don’t hold it back when you can help.
Discussion Prompt for little children:
Can you think of a time when you helped someone? What was it like? Now, can you think of a time when someone needed your help but you didn’t feel like helping them? (Sometimes children need to see an adult admit a bad attitude before they feel comfortable doing so.) Why do you think it’s important to God that we help others whenever we can?
-Potential answers: 1) While he was on Earth Jesus spent lots of time helping and serving others. Doing as Jesus did should be our goal. 2) Matthew 5:16 says that when we do good things for other people it shows them how beautiful God is!
Let’s pray that God would give us the opportunity to help someone today!
Discussion Guide for older children and teens:
Can you think of a time when you wanted to hold back good from someone? (Sometimes children need to see an adult admit a bad attitude before they feel comfortable doing so.)
Why do you think that helping others or showing them love is often a difficult decision?
-Potential answer: helping others often means denying ourselves.
Jesus was a servant. Following Jesus’ example and doing good for others is not easy. And yet, 1 Peter 3 says that when we suffer for doing something good (or for righteousness’ sake) we are blessed. How does that make sense?
-Potential answer: suffering or doing something difficult often leads us closer to God, the greatest blessing of all!
Before we pray together, does anyone come to mind that may be in need of help?
August 5:
Matthew 19:13-15 (NIRV)
Some people brought little children to Jesus. They wanted him to place his hands on the children and pray for them. But the disciples told them not to do it. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t keep them away. The kingdom of heaven belongs to people like them.” Jesus placed his hands on them to bless them. Then he went on from there.
Discussion Prompt:
Get ready to use your imagination! We’re going to picture what it would have been like to be one of the children in the story from Matthew.
(Parents, try to read this prompt slowly, giving your child time to form a picture in their mind.) Close your eyes for a minute and imagine you are standing in a big crowd. Everyone’s really excited about someone who is up in the front but all the adults are so tall that you are having trouble seeing who it is! All you can see are legs and backs. People are pressing forward to get to the important person and it’s kind of scary to have all those big bodies bumping into you.
Now imagine that I lean down, pick you up, and say, ‘Look! It’s Jesus! He’s the one who has been healing people and doing miracles! Why don’t you squeeze through everyone and see if you can make it up to him? Maybe he will bless you!’
Can you imagine how scary it would be to make your way through the crowd… squeezing, maneuvering through the people? But look! There he is! You’re so close! Can you see Jesus in your mind?
Suddenly some other man is putting his arm out in front of you and blocking your way! He raises his voice and says ‘Stop sending your children up to Jesus! He is very busy and he needs to speak to important adults!’ How does hearing that make you feel? Are you frustrated... sad... embarrassed?
Now, see Jesus look at the man as if he’s silly, and hear him say, with a little bit of laughter in his voice, ‘Don’t keep them away! My wisdom and love and power belong to them!’
The man drops his arms and watches, with a confused look on his face, as you and several other children walk past him towards Jesus.
Imagine yourself walking up to Jesus. Can you feel him put his hand on the top of your head? Can you see him lean in closer, to look you in the eye? Hear him say kind, loving words over you. Does he know your name? (Allow a moment for your child(ren) to linger in their imagination)
Okay, open your eyes. How does it feel to know that Jesus’ love and attention belong to you just as much as they belong to any adult?
We’re about to talk to Jesus in a moment when we pray. Is there anything you would like to say to him?
August 6:
Proverbs 15:5 (NIRV)
A foolish person turns their back on their parent’s correction.
But anyone who accepts correction shows understanding.
Discussion Prompt for younger and older children and teens:
Can you think of a time when I told you that you were doing something the wrong way, like tying your shoes or cutting food incorrectly? At the time it was probably frustrating that I was correcting you, right?
What do you think would happen if no one ever corrected anything you did?
Sometimes, even adults wish that people would leave us alone and let us do things our own way. But, our scripture for today reminds us that it is wise to let others teach and correct us.
During our prayer time, let’s thank God for placing people in our lives who love us and correct us.
August 7:
Psalm 117 (NIRV)
All you nations, praise the Lord.
All you people on earth, praise him.
Great is his love for us.
The Lord is faithful forever.
Praise the Lord.
Discussion Prompt for little children:
God is so good to us! Our scripture for today tells us that he will love us and be good to us forever! Even if we get mad and yell at our sister, or hide toys under our bed when it’s time to clean, God still loves us. Isn’t that amazing?! What’s one thing about God that you think is amazing?
Let’s spend our prayer time today praising God and thanking him for his goodness.
Discussion Guide for older children and teens:
The dictionary says being faithful is ‘remaining true, constant and loyal.’ Psalm 117 says God is faithful forever. Humans have a hard time being constant. We change our minds and our loyalties often. God, however, never changes. His overwhelming love for you is eternal. And the promises he has made to his people in the Bible will never be broken. You can always trust God.
Can you recall any promises God has made in his word?
Some suggestions if your child gets stuck: ’I will never leave you or forsake you.’ ‘But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.’
Let’s choose one promise that God has made in the Bible and memorize it over the weekend. Knowledge of God’s intentions and love for us can be a powerful tool when times are hard. Even when everything is going perfectly, knowing God’s promises can be a source of praise- as it was for the Psalmist.