Kids Bible Devotional for August 6, 2024
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Focus Verse
Ephesians 1:11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will. (NKJV)
Jump Start
In 1992, German Countess Karlotta Leibenstein died, leaving her entire fortune of $80 million to Gunther III. Gunther was a German Shepherd.
$80 million to a dog? Crazy, huh? It would be if the story was true. The story was a publicity stunt created by Maurizio Mian, a descendant of the founder of Istituto Gentili, an Italian pharmaceutical company now owned by Merck, a pharmaceutical company headquartered in New Jersey. Karlotta Leibenstein never existed. She was based on a family friend who was neither rich nor a countess. The dog Gunther the third was real, but he was owned by Mian’s girlfriend.
Leona Helmsley, on the other hand, was real and she did give money to her pet. Upon her death in 2007, the flamboyant hotel magnate, bequeathed $12 million to her beloved Maltese, Trouble. A judge later reduced it to $2 million. Still, talk about a pampered pup.
No doubt you’ve heard tales of large inheritances left to unsuspecting heirs, although they were probably human, not family pets. Large estate settlements left by the uber rich make for tantalizing headlines. Yet, all earthly bequests pale in comparison to our reward in heaven.
Jesus said, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Through salvation in Jesus Christ, the writer of Hebrews says, “that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.”
Today's Devotion
Ella scrolled through book descriptions on her mother’s electronic tablet. “Here’s something that sounds interesting, Mom. Says here, the main character, Julie, had an uncle die she didn’t know existed. He was very rich and left his entire fortune to her in his will. Wow! Do I have any rich uncles that I don’t know about?”
“Sadly, no. You know all your uncles and none of them are rich,” Mom replied.
“Too bad,” Ella mumbled. “Still, I wonder what it would be like to wake up one day and be so rich you could buy anything in the world you wanted or travel to any place on the planet.”
“Well, Ella, wealth is not always measured in the amount of money you in the bank or the possessions you amass.”
“It’s not? What other way is there?”
“The Bible tells us that true believers have an inheritance far beyond what this world can imagine.”
“You mean Heaven?” Ella asked.
“Yes, but also, we have treasure in earthen vessels. That’s a fancy way a saying that here on earth, God has given us His peace, joy, and love. Heaven is the ultimate goal where we will live with God forever, surrounded by angels and glorious splendor. That’s possible because of Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection.”
Ella continued to scroll through the book selections. “I’m going to keep looking. Turns out, my life’s story is already a lot better than the one about the rich uncle.”
Wrap Up
So many times, we may wish we could afford to do this or buy that. But the truth is, wealth is more than what’s in the bank. Jesus once asked, “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?”
We may not always have enough money to buy everything we want or to go to all the places we would like to visit. Yet, we have this promise. Heaven will surpass our wildest imaginations. If you have Jesus in your heart, you are already worth more than the richest person on earth.
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