Day 1
Faith Fact:
God’s plan is always best.
Faith Verse:
1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NLT)
"God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful."
Question of the Day:
Does God answer our prayers?"
Read:
Genesis 24:67; 25:19–26
Have you ever tried to put together a really hard puzzle? Maybe you’ve tried building one of those huge Lego sets with a lot of pieces. It could be really hard to do that all by yourself. You might have even been at the point of almost being done and realized a piece was missing. It can be really frustrating to get so far along and have done everything you knew how to do and still couldn’t finish it.
That is usually the point where we start to ask for help. In today’s Bible reading, that is exactly how Isaac felt. He loved God and was following after Him. Isaac was married and desperately wanted a family. There was nothing left that he could do to complete his picture of what a family should look like. That’s when he chose to ask God for help. Isaac prayed and God answered his prayer. God gave him even more than he expected. Imagine how different things might have been if Isaac had prayed to God first. Imagine how much easier it would be for us to put together those hard things if we asked for help before it got too frustrating. The great thing is we can trust that God’s plan is always best. We know that He answers our prayers! Take a few minutes to look back at today’s Bible reading and answer these questions together.
Question 1. Who was Issac’s dad?
Answer 1. Abraham (Genesis 25:19)
Question 2. Who was Isaac’s wife?
Answer 2. Rebekah (Genesis 24:67)
Question 3. Who were the twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah?
Answer 3. Esau and Jacob (Genesis 25:20–26)
Question 4. What did Esau look like when he was born?
Answer 4. He was very red and covered with thick hair like a fur coat. (Genesis 25:25)
Question 5. What was Jacob holding on to when he was born?
Answer 5. Esau’s heel (Genesis 25:26)
Talk about It:
•What did today’s devotion make you think about?
•What is a prayer that God has answered for you?
•How does it feel to know that God answered your prayers?
•What is something you are praying for God to answer now?
Pray about It:
God, thank You for caring about me and the things that matter to me. I’m so glad that I can trust You with my needs and know that you will answer them when the time is right. Help me to trust that Your plan is the best plan. Amen.
God’s plan is always best.
Faith Verse:
1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NLT)
"God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful."
Question of the Day:
Does God answer our prayers?"
Read:
Genesis 24:67; 25:19–26
Have you ever tried to put together a really hard puzzle? Maybe you’ve tried building one of those huge Lego sets with a lot of pieces. It could be really hard to do that all by yourself. You might have even been at the point of almost being done and realized a piece was missing. It can be really frustrating to get so far along and have done everything you knew how to do and still couldn’t finish it.
That is usually the point where we start to ask for help. In today’s Bible reading, that is exactly how Isaac felt. He loved God and was following after Him. Isaac was married and desperately wanted a family. There was nothing left that he could do to complete his picture of what a family should look like. That’s when he chose to ask God for help. Isaac prayed and God answered his prayer. God gave him even more than he expected. Imagine how different things might have been if Isaac had prayed to God first. Imagine how much easier it would be for us to put together those hard things if we asked for help before it got too frustrating. The great thing is we can trust that God’s plan is always best. We know that He answers our prayers! Take a few minutes to look back at today’s Bible reading and answer these questions together.
Question 1. Who was Issac’s dad?
Answer 1. Abraham (Genesis 25:19)
Question 2. Who was Isaac’s wife?
Answer 2. Rebekah (Genesis 24:67)
Question 3. Who were the twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah?
Answer 3. Esau and Jacob (Genesis 25:20–26)
Question 4. What did Esau look like when he was born?
Answer 4. He was very red and covered with thick hair like a fur coat. (Genesis 25:25)
Question 5. What was Jacob holding on to when he was born?
Answer 5. Esau’s heel (Genesis 25:26)
Talk about It:
•What did today’s devotion make you think about?
•What is a prayer that God has answered for you?
•How does it feel to know that God answered your prayers?
•What is something you are praying for God to answer now?
Pray about It:
God, thank You for caring about me and the things that matter to me. I’m so glad that I can trust You with my needs and know that you will answer them when the time is right. Help me to trust that Your plan is the best plan. Amen.
Day 2
Faith Fact:
God’s plan is always best.
Faith Verse:
1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NLT)
God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.
Question of the Day:
Does God know the plan from the beginning?
Read:
Genesis 27:1–27, 30–38, 41
What’s the first thing that you think about when you hear the word “train”? Maybe you thought of Thomas the Tank Engine. Maybe you think of the sound a train makes when it’s roaring down the tracks or a train’s loud whistle. Maybe you remember being on your way somewhere but you had to stop because the railroad crossing’s blinking lights came on the and the big red and white arms lowered in front of your car. All of these things are related to a train.
But you might not have thought of the bolts and screws that hold a train engine all together, or the exact number of spikes that hold the train tracks together. There’s a lot of parts that have to be in place before that train can come flying down the tracks.
Imagine if all the trains started at the same time, but no one had planned out exactly where they were going or how fast they should travel. They could all come to a crashing stop. The same thing is true with the life of Jacob and ours. Even before Jacob’s birth, God knew that one day he would rule over his older brother. In today’s Bible reading, we can see exactly how that happened. It didn’t matter that his father favored his brother or that his mother was looking out for him. What mattered was that God had a plan for Jacob’s life, something that He created specifically for him. God has something planned just for you. He’s thought of every detail, He knows every part that needs to take place, and He is taking the time to make sure that it’s perfect just for you. Take some time today to look for the answers to these questions in today’s Bible reading.
Question 1. What did Isaac want Esau to do before Jacob would give him the blessing?
Answer 1. To go out and hunt, then come back and make his dad’s favorite dish. (Genesis 27:2–4)
Question 2. Who warned Jacob about what was going to happen?
Answer 2. His mom, Rebekah. (Genesis 27:6–7)
Question 3. How did Jacob trick his father?
Answer 3. He put on Esau’s clothes, wrapped fur around his neck and arms, and gave Isaac the meal Rebekah had cooked. (Genesis 27:14–18)
Question 4. How did Jacob obtain the blessing of the firstborn son instead of Esau?
Answer 4. By making his father, Isaac, think he was Esau (Genesis 27:1–27)
Question 5. What blessing did Isaac give to Jacob?
Answer 5. That Jacob would rule over his brothers and Isaac guaranteed him an abundance. (Genesis 27:37)"
Talk about It:
•What did today’s devotion make you think about?
•How can you trust God’s plan even when it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen?
Pray about It:
God, it’s not always easy to trust when I can’t see how things are going to turn out. Help me to trust Your plans that You have for me and to believe that Your way is best. Amen.
God’s plan is always best.
Faith Verse:
1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NLT)
God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.
Question of the Day:
Does God know the plan from the beginning?
Read:
Genesis 27:1–27, 30–38, 41
What’s the first thing that you think about when you hear the word “train”? Maybe you thought of Thomas the Tank Engine. Maybe you think of the sound a train makes when it’s roaring down the tracks or a train’s loud whistle. Maybe you remember being on your way somewhere but you had to stop because the railroad crossing’s blinking lights came on the and the big red and white arms lowered in front of your car. All of these things are related to a train.
But you might not have thought of the bolts and screws that hold a train engine all together, or the exact number of spikes that hold the train tracks together. There’s a lot of parts that have to be in place before that train can come flying down the tracks.
Imagine if all the trains started at the same time, but no one had planned out exactly where they were going or how fast they should travel. They could all come to a crashing stop. The same thing is true with the life of Jacob and ours. Even before Jacob’s birth, God knew that one day he would rule over his older brother. In today’s Bible reading, we can see exactly how that happened. It didn’t matter that his father favored his brother or that his mother was looking out for him. What mattered was that God had a plan for Jacob’s life, something that He created specifically for him. God has something planned just for you. He’s thought of every detail, He knows every part that needs to take place, and He is taking the time to make sure that it’s perfect just for you. Take some time today to look for the answers to these questions in today’s Bible reading.
Question 1. What did Isaac want Esau to do before Jacob would give him the blessing?
Answer 1. To go out and hunt, then come back and make his dad’s favorite dish. (Genesis 27:2–4)
Question 2. Who warned Jacob about what was going to happen?
Answer 2. His mom, Rebekah. (Genesis 27:6–7)
Question 3. How did Jacob trick his father?
Answer 3. He put on Esau’s clothes, wrapped fur around his neck and arms, and gave Isaac the meal Rebekah had cooked. (Genesis 27:14–18)
Question 4. How did Jacob obtain the blessing of the firstborn son instead of Esau?
Answer 4. By making his father, Isaac, think he was Esau (Genesis 27:1–27)
Question 5. What blessing did Isaac give to Jacob?
Answer 5. That Jacob would rule over his brothers and Isaac guaranteed him an abundance. (Genesis 27:37)"
Talk about It:
•What did today’s devotion make you think about?
•How can you trust God’s plan even when it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen?
Pray about It:
God, it’s not always easy to trust when I can’t see how things are going to turn out. Help me to trust Your plans that You have for me and to believe that Your way is best. Amen.
Day 3
Faith Fact:
God’s plan is always best.
Faith Verse:
1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NLT)
"God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful."
Question of the Day:
What are God’s plans for me?
Read:
Jeremiah 1:5–8; 29:11–13
What is your favorite dessert? It might be warm chocolate chip cookies that your mom makes or a special cake that your grandma makes a few times a year. Maybe it’s a giant banana split with sprinkles, candy, and extra cherries on top that your dad secretly adds just for you! This is the kind of dessert that you don’t get every day, the one that makes you the most excited. It’s the dessert that you make sure you have room for, because you don’t want to get too full on other stuff and miss out. It might be something that you only get on special occasions, and you look forward to it being made for you.
The best part of those special desserts is that as excited as you are to eat them, the person who made it is just as excited for you to get to eat it. From the time that they are buying the ingredients, measuring, and putting it all together, they are looking forward to the moment that you’ll get to enjoy it all. Finally you take that first bite and a huge smile covers your face. Then this is the moment that they were waiting for.
Just like this, from the moment you were formed in your mother, God has been preparing you. He set everything in place, so that you wouldn’t miss out on the incredible things that He was creating you for. As you grow and learn more about Him, you will draw closer to Him. God is smiling and excited for you to do the very thing that He has created you to do. It will be so much better than ice cream or cookies, because God’s plan for you is more than perfect—God’s plan for you is the best! Take a few minutes and look over today’s Bible verses again, then answer these questions.
Question 1. How long has God known you?
Answer 1. Before He formed you (Jeremiah 1:5)
Question 2. What did God say to do if you feel too young?
Answer 2. Don’t be afraid. He’s with you. (Jeremiah 1:7–8)
Question 3. Does God guess at the plans for your life?
Answer 3. No, He knows the plans He has for you. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Question 4. What kind of plans does God have for you?
Answer 4. Good ones—plans to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Question 5. What promise does God give us when we pray?
Answer 5. He will listen. When you seek Him with all of your heart, He will be found by you. (Jeremiah 29:12–13)"
Talk about It:
•What did today’s devotion make you think about?
•How does it feel to know that God has known you since before you were born?
•Isn’t it awesome to know that His plans for you are good?
•How can you see God this week?
Pray about It:
God, thank You for making me. I’m excited about the plans You have for me and my life. Thank You for listening to my prayers. Help me to seek You with all of my heart so that You can be found by me. Amen.
God’s plan is always best.
Faith Verse:
1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NLT)
"God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful."
Question of the Day:
What are God’s plans for me?
Read:
Jeremiah 1:5–8; 29:11–13
What is your favorite dessert? It might be warm chocolate chip cookies that your mom makes or a special cake that your grandma makes a few times a year. Maybe it’s a giant banana split with sprinkles, candy, and extra cherries on top that your dad secretly adds just for you! This is the kind of dessert that you don’t get every day, the one that makes you the most excited. It’s the dessert that you make sure you have room for, because you don’t want to get too full on other stuff and miss out. It might be something that you only get on special occasions, and you look forward to it being made for you.
The best part of those special desserts is that as excited as you are to eat them, the person who made it is just as excited for you to get to eat it. From the time that they are buying the ingredients, measuring, and putting it all together, they are looking forward to the moment that you’ll get to enjoy it all. Finally you take that first bite and a huge smile covers your face. Then this is the moment that they were waiting for.
Just like this, from the moment you were formed in your mother, God has been preparing you. He set everything in place, so that you wouldn’t miss out on the incredible things that He was creating you for. As you grow and learn more about Him, you will draw closer to Him. God is smiling and excited for you to do the very thing that He has created you to do. It will be so much better than ice cream or cookies, because God’s plan for you is more than perfect—God’s plan for you is the best! Take a few minutes and look over today’s Bible verses again, then answer these questions.
Question 1. How long has God known you?
Answer 1. Before He formed you (Jeremiah 1:5)
Question 2. What did God say to do if you feel too young?
Answer 2. Don’t be afraid. He’s with you. (Jeremiah 1:7–8)
Question 3. Does God guess at the plans for your life?
Answer 3. No, He knows the plans He has for you. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Question 4. What kind of plans does God have for you?
Answer 4. Good ones—plans to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Question 5. What promise does God give us when we pray?
Answer 5. He will listen. When you seek Him with all of your heart, He will be found by you. (Jeremiah 29:12–13)"
Talk about It:
•What did today’s devotion make you think about?
•How does it feel to know that God has known you since before you were born?
•Isn’t it awesome to know that His plans for you are good?
•How can you see God this week?
Pray about It:
God, thank You for making me. I’m excited about the plans You have for me and my life. Thank You for listening to my prayers. Help me to seek You with all of my heart so that You can be found by me. Amen.
Day 4
Faith Fact:
God’s plan is always best.
Faith Verse:
1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NLT)
"God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful."
Question of the Day:
How can I trust God’s plan?
Read:
Genesis 25:27–34; 27:1–38
Nothing is worse than when someone breaks their promise, especially when you hold up your end of the deal. Imagine that you traded your older brother, sister, or cousin your most favorite thing—a toy or video game—for an invitation to their birthday party at a super cool water park. They weren’t going to invite younger kids to come, but they promised you a spot as long as you let them have that favorite thing. So you gave it to them. They didn’t tell anyone else about their promise to you.
When it came time for the party, everyone got their invitation except you. You’d probably be pretty disappointed and maybe even upset. After all, they had promised and you had already given them the thing they wanted.
In today’s Bible story, we read how this was about to happen to Jacob. From the very beginning God had a plan for his life. In fact, Esau had already traded Jacob his birthright to help this plan take place. When it came time for their dad to pass out blessings though, Jacob tricked his way into getting that as well. Through these Bible verses, we are reminded that God’s plan is always the best plan. Nothing can get in His way. Take a few minutes to look at the questions and find the answers together.
Question 1. What did Esau trade to Jacob?
Answer 1. His birthright [the right of leadership in the family and the continuing of God’s promise to Abraham] (Genesis 25:29–34)
Question 2. What did Jacob give to Esau in exchange for his birthright?
Answer 2. Lentil stew and bread (Genesis 25:34)
Question 3. What did Isaac tell Esau when he asked about the blessing he had already given to Jacob?
Answer 3. It must still stand. (Genesis 27:33)
Question 4. What did Isaac say would happen to those who cursed Jacob and to those that blessed him?
Answer 4. Those who cursed Jacob would be cursed and those who blessed him would be blessed. (Genesis 27:29)
Question 5. What did Esau do when he found out that the blessing had already been given?
Answer 5. He let out a loud cry and asked his father to bless him too. (Genesis 27:34)"
Talk about It:
•What did today’s devotion make you think about?
•Has anyone ever tried to break a deal that they had made with you?
•How did that make you feel?
Pray about It:
God, thank You that I can trust Your plans. I’m so glad that You always keep Your promises. Help me to know that You always have me in mind and that Your plan is best. I love You. Amen.
God’s plan is always best.
Faith Verse:
1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NLT)
"God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful."
Question of the Day:
How can I trust God’s plan?
Read:
Genesis 25:27–34; 27:1–38
Nothing is worse than when someone breaks their promise, especially when you hold up your end of the deal. Imagine that you traded your older brother, sister, or cousin your most favorite thing—a toy or video game—for an invitation to their birthday party at a super cool water park. They weren’t going to invite younger kids to come, but they promised you a spot as long as you let them have that favorite thing. So you gave it to them. They didn’t tell anyone else about their promise to you.
When it came time for the party, everyone got their invitation except you. You’d probably be pretty disappointed and maybe even upset. After all, they had promised and you had already given them the thing they wanted.
In today’s Bible story, we read how this was about to happen to Jacob. From the very beginning God had a plan for his life. In fact, Esau had already traded Jacob his birthright to help this plan take place. When it came time for their dad to pass out blessings though, Jacob tricked his way into getting that as well. Through these Bible verses, we are reminded that God’s plan is always the best plan. Nothing can get in His way. Take a few minutes to look at the questions and find the answers together.
Question 1. What did Esau trade to Jacob?
Answer 1. His birthright [the right of leadership in the family and the continuing of God’s promise to Abraham] (Genesis 25:29–34)
Question 2. What did Jacob give to Esau in exchange for his birthright?
Answer 2. Lentil stew and bread (Genesis 25:34)
Question 3. What did Isaac tell Esau when he asked about the blessing he had already given to Jacob?
Answer 3. It must still stand. (Genesis 27:33)
Question 4. What did Isaac say would happen to those who cursed Jacob and to those that blessed him?
Answer 4. Those who cursed Jacob would be cursed and those who blessed him would be blessed. (Genesis 27:29)
Question 5. What did Esau do when he found out that the blessing had already been given?
Answer 5. He let out a loud cry and asked his father to bless him too. (Genesis 27:34)"
Talk about It:
•What did today’s devotion make you think about?
•Has anyone ever tried to break a deal that they had made with you?
•How did that make you feel?
Pray about It:
God, thank You that I can trust Your plans. I’m so glad that You always keep Your promises. Help me to know that You always have me in mind and that Your plan is best. I love You. Amen.