And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

Devotion based on Revelation 20:1,2

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Mia loved her uncle’s farm. She loved almost everything about it—the barns, animals, tractors, and fields. It was a land of adventure. She loved ALMOST everything about it…except the big dog chained to the porch. As she tried to reach the farmhouse door, the dog bared his teeth and barked ferociously. As Mia circled wide outside the leash’s reach, he lunged and snapped at her. He was terrifying.

The next time Mia approached the house, she was with her grandfather. As the dog growled and lunged at them, her grandfather grabbed the dog by the nose and said in a commanding voice, “No! No bark!” The dog immediately fell back with his tail between his legs. The girl and her grandfather entered the house safely. After that, the dog never seemed quite as scary to Mia because of her grandpa.

Like the farm was for Mia, there is much about this world we love. Jumping in waves, walking forest trails, roasting marshmallows over a campfire, hearing a good story, spending time as a family, there is so much to love. Yet, just like the farm had a scary dog , the devil is part of living in this world . He is powerful and evil and wants to destroy us—so much scarier than a ferocious dog.

But today, our Bible reading tells us why we don’t have to be afraid. The devil is on a chain, and holding the other end of this chain is Jesus! And just like the grandfather muzzled the scary dog with a strong hand, Jesus’ resurrection delivered a crushing blow on the devil’s nose. Now the devil knows that God is stronger than he is.

But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t stop barking and growling. Even though Jesus soundly defeated the devil at the cross, the devil still tries to scare us. He’s angry. He wants to hurt us. We would do well to stay out of the reach of his chain. When you find yourself afraid of him, remember this: Jesus has the devil on a leash. Every day, Jesus walks alongside of you to keep you safe. Every night, we can rest our heads in peace. Jesus promises a day is coming when we will never have to hear or see the snarling of Satan. God will make all things new. Then, because of Jesus, we will safely enter our heavenly home.

Until then we pray: Come, Lord Jesus. Take us home to be with you. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above