Today’s Reading:
Read Read Obadiah; Psalm 82; Psalm 83
Do you know who your next-door neighbor is? Does your family spend time with them? Do you have a good relationship with them? I hope so! Living next door to someone you have a hard time getting along with could be quite a challenge. The prophet Obadiah’s message was for Israel’s neighbor, the nation of Edom. Unfortunately, Edom was not a good neighbor to Israel.
When the Israelites were taken captive by the nation of Babylon, the nation of Edom did not help the Israelites. They did not let people come to their nation to find a safe place to live away from the fighting. They actually helped Babylon capture the nation of Judah. Pretty sad, isn’t it? Want to know something even sadder? Not only was the nation of Edom the neighbor of Israel, but they were also related! The nation of Edom came from Esau, Isaac’s son. Remember, Jacob and Esau? They were the sons of Isaac who fought and Jacob, who later became Israel, stole Esau’s birthright. Basically, the people from Edom were cousins to the Israelites. And, even then, they did not help them!
Obadiah’s message was that God would bring judgment to any nation who did not help Israel. Obadiah told the people that all nations will face God’s justice. God was going to deal with the evil.
Application/Prayer:
Is there someone in your life that you don’t have a good relationship with? Pray for them and ask God to help you repair that relationship.
Is there something kind your family can do for your neighbor? Or perhaps pray together for your neighbor?
August Memory Verse:
“Listen, Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”
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:
August memory verse coloring sheet
August Fill-in the blank activity