Today’s Reading:
Read II Kings 5:1-15; II Kings 6:1-7; II Kings 6:8-17
Parents, before you read today you have a project! Grab a white sheet of paper and a white crayon. Write a message on the white sheet of paper with the white crayon. (Don’t let your kids see you do this!). When you start off your devotional time today, show your kids the white paper and tell them that there is a message written on the paper. Ask them if they believe you, even though they can’t see the message.
The prophet Elisha was demonstrating God’s power to the land of Israel and word was spreading about what he was able to do. Namaan, a commander in the army, had a skin disease that needed to be healed. A young girl who was a servant for Namaan’s wife spoke up and told Namaan that she believed that Elisha could help him. The young girl’s faith gave her the courage to speak up and gave Namaan the faith to find Elisha. At first Elisha’s instructions to wash 7 times in the Jordan did not make sense. But Namaan finally demonstrated his faith, followed Elisha’s instructions and was healed. The young girl and Namaan had neither one seen Elisha perform a miracle in the name of the one true God. They believed in what they had heard and showed their faith in God by asking Elisha for help.
Elisha also helped another servant who lost an axhead in the Jordan River. The axhead had been borrowed and the servant was very worried about finding it. But, again, the servant knew that Elisha was a prophet of God and that God was working in and through him. The servant asked Elisha for help and the axhead floated to the top of the river. The servant had heard and seen what God had done through Elisha so he had faith that Elisha could help in this situation.
Finally, as Elisha and his servants were being hunted down, it seemed that they were surrounded by an army that was going to take them captive. The servants were fearful. Elisha was confident. Elisha’s faith allowed him to see what the servants could not see- God had sent an army to defend them. Elisha asked God to open the servant’s eyes and he was able to see the army that would protect them. Elisha’s servants had to see to believe.
Application/Prayer:
Show your kids the white sheet of paper again and ask them if they believe there is a message on it. Grab some watercolors and paint over the message so that it shows up. Remind your kids that faith is believing without seeing. Ask God to open your eyes to see how He provides for you in the same way he opened the servant’s eyes to see the army defending him.
June Memory Verse:
“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”
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:
June memory verse coloring sheet
June Fill-in the blank activity