Today’s Reading:
Read I Samuel 9:2, 14-17; I Samuel 12:6-15, 20-25
For today’s reading, you will need 3 boxes. One of the boxes should have a special treat or something your family would enjoy in it. The other two boxes will have things in them that would be a disappointment. (i.e. a dirty cup or dirt from the backyard). Invite the kids to choose one to open. They must all agree on which package they want. Point out that you know which package holds something good and which packages will be a disappointment, but you want them to choose on their own. You won’t influence them, even though you could. If they choose the good package, this can still work, but choosing the package with like dirt from the backyard in it will be a disappointment.
In today’s Bible story, God knew what the Israelites wanted and he gave them a choice. He knew what was best, but he let them choose. Unfortunately, they chose the lesser one, but He didn’t stop them and let them make their own choice.
The Israelites’ search for a king ended when God led Samuel to a man named Saul, who was from the tribe of Benjamin. God told Samuel that Saul would be the king that the Israelites had been asking for. “There was no one more impressive than he…” (I Samuel 9:2).
Samuel anointed Saul but also warned Israel about what their choice for a king meant. Samuel reminded the Israelites that God had provided for them before they had a king, all the way back to appointing Moses and Aaron as their leaders. God granted the desire of the Israelites by giving them a king, but He also used Samuel to remind them that having a king did not mean they could stop obeying God’s commands, “If you disobey the Lord and rebel against his command, the Lord’s hand will be against you…”
Application/Prayer:
God allowed the Israelites to make their own choices. He did not force them to be obedient to what He had asked them to do. He told them what could happen and allowed the Israelites to decide what they would do. He does the same for us. Thank God for allowing you to make your own choices. Ask Him to help you always choose what would honor Him.
April Memory Verse:
If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.
Romans 10:9-10
Using the daily reading prompts from George H. Guthrie’s Read the Bible for Life, here’s how to use this devotional:
- Bring your Bible! Your kids need to see that everything you are reading to them or learning about comes from an actual Bible!
- Each day starts with a reading prompt. Read the selection as a family. If your kids are readers, encourage them to read along with you.
- After you’ve read the passage, read the short devotional thought that goes along with each passage.
- Prayer and application are important any time we read God’s word! After each devotional, there is a challenge to help apply what your family has read that day.
- There is a reading for six days of the week. The last reading of the week is a Gospel Conversation Prompt to help you connect the reading from the week with God’s plan for salvation.
Other Resources:
April memory verse coloring sheet
April Fill-in the blank activity