Kids Bible Devotional for January 16, 2024
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Focus Verse
I Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. (KJV)
Jump Start
This just into our news desk: millions of people across the globe disappear. It’s like they were…stolen.
In 1911, one of the most valuable paintings in the world, the Mona Lisa, was stolen from the famous French museum, the Louvre. When the thief was finally captured two years later, he made known why he took it. He believed that because the painting’s artist, Leonardo da Vinci, was Italian, the Mona Lisa belonged to Italy, not France. He felt compelled to return it to its original homeland.
While I can’t say that I agree with the robber’s motives, it does have me considering that we born-again believers don’t really belong to this world. We are citizens of a heavenly kingdom, purchased by Christ’s own blood. One day, Jesus will come and steal away what’s rightfully His – His church – and take us away to Heaven! We know this to be the rapture.
Don’t you want to be in that Great Homecoming with Christ?
Today's Devotion
Will burst through the front door and flung his backpack to the floor. “Mom! Dad!” He shouted, racing toward the kitchen. “Did you hear the news?”
Dad looked up from his laptop just as Will charged into the room. “What news, son?”
“The Anderson’s were robbed,” he announced.
His mother dropped the spoon into the pot of stew she had been stirring. “Robbed?” she asked, concerned. “When did this happen?”
“Sometime last week, I guess. They were in Eastern Europe on vacation, and when they got home, they found everything gone.” Will plucked an apple from the fruit bowl and continued. “All their video and sound systems, Mr. Anderson’s paintings, Mrs. Anderson’s grandmother’s silverware – all gone.”
“That’s too bad,” Mom said.
“Do they have any idea who might have done this?” Dad asked.
“Not sure. Jimmy at school told me all about it, but he didn’t know much more than that. I think the police are checking pawn shops around town.”
“I’m going to call Susan first thing tomorrow.” Mom reached for a notepad to write herself a reminder. “Maybe we ladies from the church can put together some care packages and fix a few dishes for the Andersons. I’m sure that Mrs. Anderson doesn’t feel much like cooking right now.”
Dad nodded. “That sounds like a good idea. You know, this sounds a lot like how the Bible describes Christ’s return.”
“How so?” Will asked, taking a bite from his apple.
“The Bible says that Christ ‘cometh as a thief in the night.’ No one knows when a thief will strike, but we have to be prepared. For Christians, that means we have to be saved and living right when Jesus returns. That way, we’ll be ready to go up into Heaven with Him.”
“Yeah, that’s one thing you don’t want to miss,” Will said.
“No kidding,” agreed Mom. “Now, if you two gentlemen don’t mind, can you set the table? Dinner will be ready soon, and I know neither of you want to miss that either.”
Wrap Up
Sadly, there will be those who will be caught off guard when Jesus returns. To them it will look like a thief came in the night and took us away. But to the many that have obeyed Christ’s plan of salvation and lived a godly life, that will be a long-awaited day.
Can you imagine what Heaven will be like? Let’s make sure we don’t miss out and let’s make sure we share the way to Heaven with as many as we possibly can.
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