Day 1
Faith Fact:
God saves me.
Faith Verse:
Psalm 37:23
"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives."
Question of the Day:
Does God do things differently than you would?
Read:
Exodus 12:3–11; 13:17–18; 14:1–4
Have you ever had a day where it seemed like nothing went the way you had planned or hoped it would? For example, you have been waiting over a month to go to the zoo. You wake up early to get ready. You try to get dressed, but you can’t find any of your shorts so you are stuck wearing jeans. You get in the car, but there is tons of traffic on the way to the zoo. You finally get to the zoo and then raindrops start to fall and you left your umbrella at home. It seems like nothing went the way you expected.
That’s probably how the Israelites felt when God led them through the wilderness on a detour toward the Red Sea. They didn’t understand why, but God had an amazing plan of His own that they couldn’t see just yet. When your day doesn’t go the way you planned, always remember that God is in control and knows just what you need.
Think about it:
Question 1. Why did God not lead the Israelites on the main road that runs through Philistine territory even though it was the shortest route to the Promised Land?
Answer 1. God knew that if the Israelites had to fight a battle then, they might change their minds and want to return to Egypt. (Exodus 13:17)
Question 2. What feast did God establish to remember the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt?
Answer 2. Passover (Exodus 12:3–11)
Question 3. Where did God lead them instead of on the main road?
Answer 3. God led them through the wilderness and toward the Red Sea. (Exodus 13:18)
Question 4. What did God say Pharaoh would think when he heard that the Israelites were camping by the Red Sea?
Answer 4. Pharaoh would think the Israelites were confused and trapped in the wilderness. (Exodus 14:3)
Question 5. Why did God allow Pharaoh and his army to chase after the Israelites?
Answer 5. To display His glory and to make it known to the Egyptians that He is the Lord. (Exodus 14:4)
Talk about It:
•What did today’s devotion make you think about?
•Is it hard to trust God when He does things differently than you expected? Why or why not?
•How can we put our trust in God even when things aren’t going the way we planned?
Pray about It:
God, thank You for this reminder that You are always at work and have a plan even when it doesn’t look the way I expected it to. Help me to trust Your plan and stop trying to make my own. Amen.
God saves me.
Faith Verse:
Psalm 37:23
"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives."
Question of the Day:
Does God do things differently than you would?
Read:
Exodus 12:3–11; 13:17–18; 14:1–4
Have you ever had a day where it seemed like nothing went the way you had planned or hoped it would? For example, you have been waiting over a month to go to the zoo. You wake up early to get ready. You try to get dressed, but you can’t find any of your shorts so you are stuck wearing jeans. You get in the car, but there is tons of traffic on the way to the zoo. You finally get to the zoo and then raindrops start to fall and you left your umbrella at home. It seems like nothing went the way you expected.
That’s probably how the Israelites felt when God led them through the wilderness on a detour toward the Red Sea. They didn’t understand why, but God had an amazing plan of His own that they couldn’t see just yet. When your day doesn’t go the way you planned, always remember that God is in control and knows just what you need.
Think about it:
Question 1. Why did God not lead the Israelites on the main road that runs through Philistine territory even though it was the shortest route to the Promised Land?
Answer 1. God knew that if the Israelites had to fight a battle then, they might change their minds and want to return to Egypt. (Exodus 13:17)
Question 2. What feast did God establish to remember the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt?
Answer 2. Passover (Exodus 12:3–11)
Question 3. Where did God lead them instead of on the main road?
Answer 3. God led them through the wilderness and toward the Red Sea. (Exodus 13:18)
Question 4. What did God say Pharaoh would think when he heard that the Israelites were camping by the Red Sea?
Answer 4. Pharaoh would think the Israelites were confused and trapped in the wilderness. (Exodus 14:3)
Question 5. Why did God allow Pharaoh and his army to chase after the Israelites?
Answer 5. To display His glory and to make it known to the Egyptians that He is the Lord. (Exodus 14:4)
Talk about It:
•What did today’s devotion make you think about?
•Is it hard to trust God when He does things differently than you expected? Why or why not?
•How can we put our trust in God even when things aren’t going the way we planned?
Pray about It:
God, thank You for this reminder that You are always at work and have a plan even when it doesn’t look the way I expected it to. Help me to trust Your plan and stop trying to make my own. Amen.
Day 2
Faith Fact:
God saves me.
Faith Verse:
Psalm 37:23
"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives."
Question of the Day:
Does God do things differently than you would?
Read:
Exodus 14:5–14
Think about your favorite place to order an ice cream cone. Imagine going to that restaurant on the hottest day of summer. You are ready to order a yummy, cold, refreshing ice cream cone. You walk up to the counter to order and the cashier says they are out of ice cream! How would you react in that situation? Ice cream is pretty small and unimportant in the grand scheme of things, but I think if we are honest, most of us would complain and get really upset if that happened.
Imagine how the Israelites felt when they realized they weren’t home free! The Egyptian army was coming after them to take them back to Egypt as their slaves or to kill them. The Israelites were so scared they thought it would be better to go back to Egypt and become slaves again. Moses reminded the people that they didn’t need to be afraid. He told them, “The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” (Exodus 14:14) When things don’t go the way we want them to go, we need to remain calm and trust God.
Think about it:
Question 1. What happened when Pharaoh heard about the Israelites leaving?
Answer 1. He changed his mind and chased after them with his army. (Exodus 14:5, 8–9)
Question 2. How many chariots did Pharaoh bring with him to chase after the Israelites?
Answer 2. All the chariots of Egypt (Exodus 14:7)
Question 3. How did the Israelites react when they saw Pharaoh and his army coming?
Answer 3. They panicked and complained. (Exodus 14:10–11)
Question 4. What did the Israelites wish they had done instead of following Moses?
Answer 4. They wished they had stayed in Egypt as slaves. (Exodus 14:12)
Question 5. What did Moses tell the people after they complained to him?
Answer 5. “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” (Exodus 14:13–14)
Talk about It:
•What did today’s devotion make you think about?
•Do you think the Israelites reacted well to the situation? Why or why not?
•Do you think you would have reacted the same way if you were there?
•How do you react when plans change and a day doesn’t go the way you expected?
•How can you change the way you react to be more positive?
Pray about It:
God, thank You for being patient and loving me even when I react negatively and complain when things don’t go my way. I’m sorry for the way I have reacted in the past. Please help me to change the way I think and react to be more like You. Amen.
God saves me.
Faith Verse:
Psalm 37:23
"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives."
Question of the Day:
Does God do things differently than you would?
Read:
Exodus 14:5–14
Think about your favorite place to order an ice cream cone. Imagine going to that restaurant on the hottest day of summer. You are ready to order a yummy, cold, refreshing ice cream cone. You walk up to the counter to order and the cashier says they are out of ice cream! How would you react in that situation? Ice cream is pretty small and unimportant in the grand scheme of things, but I think if we are honest, most of us would complain and get really upset if that happened.
Imagine how the Israelites felt when they realized they weren’t home free! The Egyptian army was coming after them to take them back to Egypt as their slaves or to kill them. The Israelites were so scared they thought it would be better to go back to Egypt and become slaves again. Moses reminded the people that they didn’t need to be afraid. He told them, “The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” (Exodus 14:14) When things don’t go the way we want them to go, we need to remain calm and trust God.
Think about it:
Question 1. What happened when Pharaoh heard about the Israelites leaving?
Answer 1. He changed his mind and chased after them with his army. (Exodus 14:5, 8–9)
Question 2. How many chariots did Pharaoh bring with him to chase after the Israelites?
Answer 2. All the chariots of Egypt (Exodus 14:7)
Question 3. How did the Israelites react when they saw Pharaoh and his army coming?
Answer 3. They panicked and complained. (Exodus 14:10–11)
Question 4. What did the Israelites wish they had done instead of following Moses?
Answer 4. They wished they had stayed in Egypt as slaves. (Exodus 14:12)
Question 5. What did Moses tell the people after they complained to him?
Answer 5. “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” (Exodus 14:13–14)
Talk about It:
•What did today’s devotion make you think about?
•Do you think the Israelites reacted well to the situation? Why or why not?
•Do you think you would have reacted the same way if you were there?
•How do you react when plans change and a day doesn’t go the way you expected?
•How can you change the way you react to be more positive?
Pray about It:
God, thank You for being patient and loving me even when I react negatively and complain when things don’t go my way. I’m sorry for the way I have reacted in the past. Please help me to change the way I think and react to be more like You. Amen.
Day 3
Faith Fact:
God saves me.
Faith Verse:
Psalm 37:23
"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives."
Question of the Day:
Does God do things differently than you would?
Read:
Exodus 14:13–22
How do you know that there is air all around you? Can you see it? You might not even think about the air around you most days, but it is essential and necessary for life. If you stand outside and close your eyes on a windy day, you can feel the air blowing through your hair. You might even hear the wind whistling, and if you opened your eyes you could see the wind moving the trees and plants. You probably don’t even notice the air unless you take the time to be still and focus on it.
It can sometimes be the same way when God speaks to us and reveals His plans. We have to take the time to be still and listen to God’s leading. He might speak to us by nudging us to do something we know we didn’t think of ourselves. You might get a thought from Him that you know you wouldn’t have thought of on your own or He may speak to you through a verse in the Bible. He might even give you a feeling of peace, letting you know that He is with you and has everything under control. We need to take a few minutes each day just to be still and listen to God so we can follow Him every single day.
Think about it:
Question 1. What did God tell Moses to tell the people to do?
Answer 1. Get moving! (Exodus 14:15)
Question 2. What did God tell Moses to do?
Answer 2. God told Moses to pick up his staff and raise his hand over the sea. (Exodus 14:16)
Question 3. By what miracle did Israel leave the land of Egypt?
Answer 3. The parting of the sea [Red Sea] (Exodus 14:13–22)
Question 4. What did God put between the Israelites and the Egyptian army?
Answer 4. The angel of God and a pillar of cloud during the day that turned into a pillar of fire at night. (Exodus 14:19–20)
Question 5. What did the Israelites do after God opened up a path through the sea?
Answer 5. They walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side. (Exodus 14:22)
Talk about It:
•What did today’s devotion make you think about?
•How did God speak to the people in this story?
•How does He speak to us and guide us today?
•Is it hard for you to spend a few minutes being still each day to listen to God? Why or why not?
•Can you make a commitment to spend some time each week listening to God?
Pray about It:
God, thank You for leading and guiding me each day even when I don’t realize You are doing it. Help me to be intentional about setting aside a few minutes each day just to listen to what You are saying to me. Speak to me through Your Word and help me to learn how to recognize Your voice so I can follow Your plan for my life. Amen.
God saves me.
Faith Verse:
Psalm 37:23
"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives."
Question of the Day:
Does God do things differently than you would?
Read:
Exodus 14:13–22
How do you know that there is air all around you? Can you see it? You might not even think about the air around you most days, but it is essential and necessary for life. If you stand outside and close your eyes on a windy day, you can feel the air blowing through your hair. You might even hear the wind whistling, and if you opened your eyes you could see the wind moving the trees and plants. You probably don’t even notice the air unless you take the time to be still and focus on it.
It can sometimes be the same way when God speaks to us and reveals His plans. We have to take the time to be still and listen to God’s leading. He might speak to us by nudging us to do something we know we didn’t think of ourselves. You might get a thought from Him that you know you wouldn’t have thought of on your own or He may speak to you through a verse in the Bible. He might even give you a feeling of peace, letting you know that He is with you and has everything under control. We need to take a few minutes each day just to be still and listen to God so we can follow Him every single day.
Think about it:
Question 1. What did God tell Moses to tell the people to do?
Answer 1. Get moving! (Exodus 14:15)
Question 2. What did God tell Moses to do?
Answer 2. God told Moses to pick up his staff and raise his hand over the sea. (Exodus 14:16)
Question 3. By what miracle did Israel leave the land of Egypt?
Answer 3. The parting of the sea [Red Sea] (Exodus 14:13–22)
Question 4. What did God put between the Israelites and the Egyptian army?
Answer 4. The angel of God and a pillar of cloud during the day that turned into a pillar of fire at night. (Exodus 14:19–20)
Question 5. What did the Israelites do after God opened up a path through the sea?
Answer 5. They walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side. (Exodus 14:22)
Talk about It:
•What did today’s devotion make you think about?
•How did God speak to the people in this story?
•How does He speak to us and guide us today?
•Is it hard for you to spend a few minutes being still each day to listen to God? Why or why not?
•Can you make a commitment to spend some time each week listening to God?
Pray about It:
God, thank You for leading and guiding me each day even when I don’t realize You are doing it. Help me to be intentional about setting aside a few minutes each day just to listen to what You are saying to me. Speak to me through Your Word and help me to learn how to recognize Your voice so I can follow Your plan for my life. Amen.
Day 4
Faith Fact:
God saves me.
Faith Verse:
Psalm 37:23
"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives."
Question of the Day:
Does God do things differently than you would?
Read:
Exodus 14:23
Have you ever played a game with someone who seemed unbeatable? They know how to play the game better than everyone else. Because they had played it so many times, they have all the tricks figured out and an amazing strategy for how to always win. Do you want that person on your team? Of course! Who wouldn’t? We all want to win.
If we are a Christian, we have the absolute best person on our team and on our side. God is with us every single day, fighting our battles for us if we let Him. He has done it all and seen it all before. He created everything and knows how it all works. He knows how the game of life ends, and He is victorious. We need to trust God to fight our battles just like He did for the Israelites at the Red Sea. I’m sure none of them expected God to do it the way He did, but He knew that the outcome would bring Him all the glory.
Think about it:
Question 1. What did the Egyptians do when they saw the Israelites walking through the Red Sea?
Answer 1. They chased them into the middle of the sea. (Exodus 14:23)
Question 2. What happened to the Egyptians who tried to follow the Israelites through the Red Sea?
Answer 2. They all drowned. (Exodus 14:23–28)
Question 3. What did the Egyptians shout when they saw that they were in trouble?
Answer 3. “The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!” (Exodus 14:25)
Question 4. How many of the Egyptians escaped from the Red Sea?
Answer 4. None of them survived. (Exodus 14:28)
Question 5. What happened when the people of Israel saw the power that the Lord had unleashed against the Egyptians?
Answer 5. They were filled with awe and put their faith in God and Moses. (Exodus 14:31)"
Talk about It:
•What did today’s devotion make you think about?
•Do you want God on your side? Why or why not?
•What are you facing right now that you need God to fight for on your behalf?
Pray about It:
God, thank You for not only saving me when I asked Jesus into my life, but continuing to fight for me every single day. Please help me to trust You to fight for me and stop relying on myself to fight my own battles. Amen.
God saves me.
Faith Verse:
Psalm 37:23
"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives."
Question of the Day:
Does God do things differently than you would?
Read:
Exodus 14:23
Have you ever played a game with someone who seemed unbeatable? They know how to play the game better than everyone else. Because they had played it so many times, they have all the tricks figured out and an amazing strategy for how to always win. Do you want that person on your team? Of course! Who wouldn’t? We all want to win.
If we are a Christian, we have the absolute best person on our team and on our side. God is with us every single day, fighting our battles for us if we let Him. He has done it all and seen it all before. He created everything and knows how it all works. He knows how the game of life ends, and He is victorious. We need to trust God to fight our battles just like He did for the Israelites at the Red Sea. I’m sure none of them expected God to do it the way He did, but He knew that the outcome would bring Him all the glory.
Think about it:
Question 1. What did the Egyptians do when they saw the Israelites walking through the Red Sea?
Answer 1. They chased them into the middle of the sea. (Exodus 14:23)
Question 2. What happened to the Egyptians who tried to follow the Israelites through the Red Sea?
Answer 2. They all drowned. (Exodus 14:23–28)
Question 3. What did the Egyptians shout when they saw that they were in trouble?
Answer 3. “The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!” (Exodus 14:25)
Question 4. How many of the Egyptians escaped from the Red Sea?
Answer 4. None of them survived. (Exodus 14:28)
Question 5. What happened when the people of Israel saw the power that the Lord had unleashed against the Egyptians?
Answer 5. They were filled with awe and put their faith in God and Moses. (Exodus 14:31)"
Talk about It:
•What did today’s devotion make you think about?
•Do you want God on your side? Why or why not?
•What are you facing right now that you need God to fight for on your behalf?
Pray about It:
God, thank You for not only saving me when I asked Jesus into my life, but continuing to fight for me every single day. Please help me to trust You to fight for me and stop relying on myself to fight my own battles. Amen.