Keys for Kids - daily devotions and Bible stories for kids and families

Read: Psalm 145:17-20; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

On Friday, Noah had an invitation to a birthday party and another to a sleepover—and he couldn’t go to both. It was hard choosing between his friends, and he didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Then on Sunday, Noah tried contacting his friends to see if anyone wanted to hang out, but they were all busy.

“You look bored,” his grandpa said when he came over that evening.

Noah sat back on the couch with a sigh. “I thought my friends might want to hang out today, but they all have other plans.”

“I see.” Grandpa sat down beside him.

“Friends are confusing,” Noah said. “Sometimes everyone wants to hang out with you, and sometimes no one can. Sometimes we all get along, and sometimes we fight.”

“Sounds like most relationships,” Grandpa said. “But I’m glad there’s one constant in my life.”

“Grandma?” Noah asked.

Grandpa smiled. “No. Even we disagree occasionally. But there is someone who never lets me down.”

“It’s not me,” Noah said with a knit brow. “I’m pretty sure Dad has let you down before too.”

“Any more guesses?” Grandpa asked.

Noah shook his head, feeling stumped.

“God,” Grandpa said. “He has never let me down.”

“God?” Noah asked.

Grandpa nodded. “He’s always there for me. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and for the rest of eternity. He is never going to change. Even when your friends aren’t available or things get confusing, you can rely on God to be steady and constant in your life.”

Noah ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m glad God’s with me, but it’s not exactly the same.”

“As having a friend you can play with? Maybe not. But Jesus said that everyone who trusts Him as their Savior is His friend. He is our perfect friend who gave His life to save us and always listens and cares about everything going on in our lives. When you need a friend, you can always talk to Him.”

“Thanks, Grandpa.” Noah gave his grandpa a fist bump. “You’re a pretty good friend too.”

–Bethany Acker

How about you? Are friendships ever confusing for you? Friends are a gift from God, but they can’t always be there when we want them to be and sometimes let us down. But you can have a constant friend who will never fail you. Jesus is available all the time, and He never changes. He loves you and gave His life to be your friend forever. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Go to Him and tell Him what’s on your mind.

Today’s key verse: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)

Today’s key thought: Jesus is a constant friend

Read: Deuteronomy 8:2-5; 29:2-6

“Where are we going, Grandma?” Daisy asked.

Grandma opened the gate separating her backyard from the woods behind it.

“A place you’ll enjoy,” she replied with a smile.

As they walked through the woods, Daisy noticed little chipmunks scurrying up tree trunks, making her giggle. When the wind whistled through the piney limbs, Daisy clung closer to Grandma. “Are you sure you know where we’re going?” Daisy asked.

“Do you trust me?” Grandma replied, squeezing Daisy’s hand. Daisy nodded. “It’s just a little further,” said Grandma.

The edge of the woods opened onto a farm where sheep and cattle grazed on the grassy hills. A lamb bumbled over and put his hooves against the wooden fence.

“My friend owns this farm,” Grandma said. “I thought you would love seeing the animals.”

Daisy let the lamb tickle her fingers with his nose. “He’s so cute!” she said. “But why didn’t we just drive here? The path through the woods took forever!”

Grandma leaned against the fence. “Do you think there were any benefits to taking the scenic path?”

Daisy scrunched up her nose. “Well, we got to spend more time together.”

Grandma nodded. “I love spending time with you. What else?”

“The forest was more interesting than the main road,” Daisy added. “Oh! And I had to trust that you knew where we were going.”

“That’s right,” Grandma said. “Do you remember in the Bible when God led the Israelites in the wilderness for forty years before bringing them to the Promised Land?”

“I remember,” Daisy said. “Didn’t God know a faster route?”

“Yes, but God wanted them to learn to rely on Him,” Grandma said. “Instead of trusting God, the Israelites complained and disobeyed Him, which is why God kept them in the wilderness for so long. And through their waiting, they got to experience more miracles, such as God sending them food from heaven and keeping their clothes and sandals from wearing out.”

“It’s hard for me to wait on God sometimes,” Daisy said.

“I know,” Grandma said. “But He’s helping you learn to rely on Him too. As you follow Jesus along the path He has for you, keep your eyes open for the ways He shows you His love and grace on your journey.”

–Hannah Chung

How about you? Are you waiting for something right now? Do you wonder if God is in control when things don’t happen when you want them to? Remember that God’s timing is perfect, even when you don’t understand it. Look for ways Jesus is showing you His love and grace through waiting periods and trust Him to use scenic routes to help you grow in your faith.

Today’s key verse: In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:6 (NIV)

Today’s key thought: God’s path is best

Read: Psalm 103:12; Micah 7:19

Dad closed the trunk of the car. “Okay, everything’s packed. Let’s go!”

“Wait!” Mom called. “Aria and Nolan, please empty the trash in the bedrooms and kitchen before we leave.”

“I’ll get the bedrooms,” Aria said.

Nolan went to the kitchen and glanced at the trash bag. It wasn’t even full. I’ll empty it when we get back, he thought, and ran to claim his spot in the car.

A few hours later, they pulled into the hotel parking lot. “It looks like a windstorm tore through here,” Mom said. “Cans are tipped over with trash scattered everywhere.”

Dad nodded. “Maybe some racoons had a party.”

“Speaking of trash…” Mom looked into the back seat. “Was the garbage emptied?”

“Yup,” Aria proudly announced.

There was a long silence, and Dad looked at Nolan in the rearview mirror. “How about you?”

“It was only half full,” Nolan said. “I thought it could wait.”

“Oh no!” said Mom. “I threw out some spoiled food this morning.” She sighed. “I wish you had done what I asked you to, Nolan. In a couple days, the kitchen is going to smell like a garbage dump!”

“This reminds me of a true story,” Dad said. “Forty years ago, the city of Philadelphia had a huge garbage problem. The trash collectors went on strike, and trash piled up in the whole city and smelled horrible for twenty days!”

“Gross!” Aria wrinkled her nose.

“They decided to burn the garbage, load the ash onto a ship, and sail it away. The ship sailed to several different countries, but no one would take the ash.”

“Well, at least we don’t have that much trash in our kitchen,” Nolan said.

“No, but sin is like garbage we can’t get rid of ourselves,” Dad replied. “But unlike that ship, we know someone who’s always willing to take it away if we ask Him.”

The answer was easy. “Jesus,” Nolan said. “We can confess our sin to Him, and He’ll take out the trash and make us clean.” He sighed. “I’m sorry I messed up and didn’t obey you. I’ll take out the trash the minute we get home.”

Dad grinned. “By then, you’ll need a fly swatter, mask, and gloves!”

–Matt Shoemaker

How about you? Is there a stinky sin weighing on your heart? Do you have trash in your life that needs to be taken out? Ask Jesus to remove it. He died and rose again to save you from sin and is always willing to take out your trash. When you confess your sin to Him, He will gladly forgive you and take it far away!

Today’s key verse: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NKJV)

Today’s key thought: Jesus takes our trash

Read: Romans 12:9-13

Hannah gave herself a quick look in the mirror while Faith twirled around in her new skirt. “Girls!” Mom called. “Our company is almost here!” The sisters giggled and raced down the hall.

A few minutes later, Mrs. Kelly arrived with her daughter Brittany, who was about the girls’ age, and Brittany’s little sister, Samantha. The girls brought Brittany to their room to play, and Samantha toddled after them. The first thing little Samantha did when she entered the girls’ room was give Faith’s new stuffed kitty a big squeeze.

Faith gasped. “Samantha! No! Please put my kitty down!” She took it from Samantha’s hands and placed it out of her reach.

Ten minutes later the girls were having a tea party when Samantha accidently bumped into the table and the carefully placed dishes came crashing down. “Samantha!” Hannah said sternly. “You’re ruining everything!”

“I’ll take her back to Mom,” Brittany said quietly. She took her younger sister by the hand and led her out of the room.

While Mrs. Kelly changed Samantha’s diaper, Mom came to check on her daughters. “How’s it going in here, girls?”

Faith sighed. “Brittany’s nice and all, but her baby sister is messing up all our stuff!”

“Yeah!” Hannah chimed in. “She even almost broke my favorite pony!”

“Girls, do you remember the verse we learned this morning? First Peter 4:9?”

“‘Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling,’” the girls mumbled together.

Mom nodded. “Jesus sacrificed everything so He could welcome us into His family, and hospitality is one of the ways we show His love to others. Do you think the way you were acting toward Samantha was very hospitable?”

The girls looked at the floor and shook their heads.

“Well, how can you make this right?” Mom asked.

“Wait and see!” Faith said with a grin.

When Brittany and Samantha walked in a minute later, the girls knelt down beside Samantha and offered her two of their favorite stuffed animals. “Pet her head, Samantha,” Faith said, holding out her stuffed kitty. “She’s so fluffy.” Samantha pet the kitty’s head and giggled.

Mom beamed and headed for the door. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go share my favorite chocolates with Mrs. Kelly!”

–Savannah Coleman

How about you? Is it hard for you to share your special toys and treats when others come to visit you? A great way to practice hospitality is to remember two things: 1) People always matter more than things, and 2) God gave us everything we have so we could use it to show others His love. When we open our homes to others, it opens our hearts to them as well.

Today’s key verse: Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:9 (NIV)

Today’s key thought: Practice hospitality

Read: Mark 2:13-15; John 3:36

Reagan peered out the window, wearing her soccer uniform and munching on a sandwich. Dad’s car pulled up and honked. It was Dad’s week to watch her.

“Bye, Mom!” Reagan hollered. She slung her bag over her shoulder and ran outside.

“Dad! I learned something so cool!” Reagan said, plopping her bag at her feet. She balanced her sandwich on one knee while she buckled up.

“Oh yeah?” Dad asked. They rolled past the neighbor’s sunflower garden.

“What’s that?”

“See those sunflowers? Did you know they’re edible from root to petal? They’re used for all kinds of stuff! Like making sunflower oil, for one thing.”

Dad nodded. “I use that to cook with sometimes.”

“But the coolest thing about them is heliotropism!” Reagan continued. “That’s a fancy word for how a plant grows in response to sunlight. It’s easy to see in a sunflower, ‘cuz they actually follow the sun’s movement—like solar tracking! It helps the plant’s growth rate and use of light. Isn’t that the coolest?”

Dad chuckled at Reagan’s enthusiasm. “Sounds like you’re really into sunflowers.”

“I am! You know why I think they’re so cool?” Reagan asked as she took another bite of her sandwich. “Brehcuzz—”

“Hold on!” Dad said with another chuckle. “Chew your food first. Then you can tell me all about it.”

Reagan swallowed. “Sorry. ‘Cuz in church, I learned we’re supposed to fix our eyes on Jesus and follow Him. Well, Jesus is God’s Son, right? So following the Son of God is like sunflowers following the sun in the sky. We can be Son-followers! Jesus gives us life by shining His light on us and making us grow.”

Dad pulled the car into the soccer complex and parked. “Hmm. That’s some sermon, Reagan. You know I don’t go to church, but it sure sounds like you’re excited about it.”

“I am! Sunflowers are so cheerful—and I want you to have the joy of knowing Jesus like I do. You could be a Son-follower too, Dad.” Reagan looked across the parking lot. “Oh! There’s my coach. Gotta go!”

Reagan shoved the rest of her sandwich into her mouth, grabbed her soccer gear, and hopped out of the car. Dad watched her run to catch up with the rest of her team.

–Pearl Allard

How about you? Have you experienced the joy of knowing Jesus? Like sunflowers following the sun as it moves across the sky, Christians follow the Son of God. He fills us with His light and makes us grow to be more like Him. When others see His light and joy shine through us, they might want to be Son-followers too! You can become a Son-follower today by trusting in Jesus. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?)

Today’s key verse: [Jesus] saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him. Matthew 9:9 (NKJV)

Today’s key thought: Follow God’s Son, Jesus

Read: 1 Corinthians 3:5-8

“Tell me, kids—if something good happened to you, would you keep it to yourself?” Mr. Miller asked his class at church.

“No!” came the answer as all the kids shook their heads.

“We like to share our good news with our friends, don’t we?” Mr. Miller continued. “Yet when it comes to the greatest news of all—Jesus saving us by dying for our sins and coming back to life—we often keep that a secret. Why do you suppose that is?” This time, no one could answer Mr. Miller’s question. “If we know Jesus, we need to tell others about Him,” said Mr. Miller. “Let’s bow our heads a moment and ask the Lord to give each of us the name of a friend who needs to hear about Him.”

The children sat quietly, and a name came to Dominic’s mind. Oh no! he thought. Not Thatcher! He’ll never listen!

After class, Dominic talked with Mr. Miller about it. “Look out the window,” Mr. Miller said. “See the tree growing in the middle of those huge rocks on that hillside? How do you think it got there?”

Dominic shrugged. “I guess a seed from another tree fell there and took root.”

“Do you think the parent tree worried about how hard the rocks looked when it let the seed drop?” Mr. Miller asked. Dominic shook his head. “That’s right,” said Mr. Miller. “The tree just let the seed fall, and God did the rest. That’s what we need to do too. We need to tell others about Jesus so the seed of His good news can fall. Don’t worry about how it takes root. That’s God’s work, and He can handle it.”

Dominic still looked uncertain. “Thatcher’s my friend, but I feel like he’s just gonna laugh at me if I try to tell Him about Jesus.”

“It can be scary to tell our friends about Jesus when we don’t know how they’ll respond,” Mr. Miller said. “But remember that God loves Thatcher and has the power to save him, and He’ll be with you the whole time. Pray for Thatcher, and ask Jesus to give you an opportunity to let him know what He’s done for him. He’ll help you spread the seed of His good news in Thatcher’s heart.”

–Agnes Livezey

How about you? Are you afraid your friends won’t listen to you if you tell them about Jesus? It can be scary, but trust Jesus to help you spread the seed of His good news. Faithfully pray for friends who don’t know Him, and watch for opportunities to talk about Jesus and what He’s done for you. Leave the rest up to God—He’s the one who makes the seed take root.

Today’s key verse: I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 1 Corinthians 3:6 (NLT)

Today’s key thought: Tell friends about Jesus

Read: Psalm 119:97-104; 2 Timothy 3:14-17

“What a summer this has turned out to be!” said Leah. “When we moved to the country, I thought I’d be riding horses and wading in the creek. But lately it seems like all I’ve been doing is snapping beans, husking corn, shelling peas, and now peeling peaches for canning and freezing.”

Mom smiled. “I think you’ve found plenty of time for fun things too, and when winter comes, you’ll be glad we have all this food preserved.”

Leah shrugged. “Maybe, but I’m tired of it now!”

A few months later, shortly after Christmas, a blizzard began. Soon Leah and her family were snowed in.

“Oh, Mom, what are we going to do?” Leah asked as she stared through the window at the swirling snow. “It might be days before we can get out!”

Mom smiled. “Well, we’ve got lots of wood for the fire, and the freezer is full of meat. And we’ve got plenty of good home-canned food too.”

“That’s true!” said Leah. “There’s no danger we’ll go hungry, is there?” She sighed. “But I’m so bored! It’s too windy and cold to play outside. What can I do that’s fun?”

Mom laughed. “You have lots of books and games and puzzles. You could also memorize your verses for church.”

“Yeah, but I don’t see why we have to learn so many verses,” said Leah. “We’ve got lots of Bibles—and you and Dad even have Bibles on your phones. Anytime we need a verse, we can just look it up.”

“Remember how you complained about all that canning and freezing last summer?” Mom asked. “Now that a storm came along and we’re snowed in and can’t get to the store, we’re glad we have lots of food stored up, right?”

“Sure,” Leah said.

“Well, in life, you never know when stormy times will come. There may be times when you’ll face temptation or need to remember God’s love for you or have a chance to tell someone about Jesus, and it’s not always possible or convenient to look up verses in the Bible or on a phone. Then you’ll be glad to have those verses stored in your heart so you can feast on God’s Word anytime!”

“So I should ‘can’ those verses?” Leah asked with a smile. “Okay, I will!”

–Barbara J. Westberg

How about you? Do you memorize God’s Word? Memorizing Bible verses is a great way to help you remember what Jesus has done for you and share Him with others. Verses you’ve learned can be a help, encouragement, and comfort to you. Think about what each verse means as you memorize. Then store it in your heart so you’ll have it whenever you need it.

Today’s key verse: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)

Today’s key thought: Memorize Bible verses

Read: Psalm 103:11-12; Malachi 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

“Look, Bianca!” Mom was sitting on the couch with a big book on her lap. “Here’s a lock of your hair from when you were three months old—and look at your footprint from when you were born.”

Bianca grinned. “Wow! It’s really tiny! That’s my baby book, isn’t it? It’s been a long time since I’ve looked at it.”

“I wrote all these entries in it during your first three years,” Mom said. “It says you walked and talked early. You took your first step at nine months. You said ‘Dada’ at five months—at least, your dad said you did—and you could sing the ABCs by the time you were two and a half. You were a smart little cookie.”

“Really?” Bianca sighed. “Well, I’m not smart anymore. I’m always doing dumb things now.”

“That’s not true,” said Mom. “Sometimes you just dwell on your mistakes too much.” She pointed to the book. “Why do you think I didn’t write things like, ‘Today Bianca fell down fifteen times trying to walk’?”

Bianca laughed. “That wouldn’t sound too good.”

“No, but falling down is part of learning to walk,” said Mom. “I don’t remember how many times you fell, but I do remember that first step. I didn’t record the times you cried for what seemed like hours. But you were a sweet baby, and I recorded that. Moms always write good memories in baby books.” She smiled at Bianca. “Did you know that God has a book of remembrance too?”

“He does? Does He only write down good things in His book like moms do?”

Mom nodded. “He doesn’t keep a record of the wrong things Christians do. When we trust in Jesus, all our sins are forgiven. He only remembers the good things.”

“So He doesn’t want us to feel bad about all the wrong things we’ve done?”

Mom shook her head. “Sin does have consequences, and when we do something wrong, Jesus wants us to confess our sin to Him. But it will never show up in God’s remembrance book because Jesus took all our sins on Himself when He died. Instead of dwelling on our mistakes, He wants us to show His love to others and joyfully walk with Him.”

–Barbara J. Westberg

How about you? Did you know that, if you’re a Christian, God doesn’t keep a record of your sins? He only remembers the good things you do out of the love He’s put in your heart. So don’t dwell on your failures and mistakes. When you do something wrong, confess it to Jesus. He promises to forgive you and help you do good things that show the love and joy you have in Him.

Today’s key verse: Love is patient, love is kind…it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (NIV)

Today’s key thought: God remembers good things

Read: Genesis 50:15-21; Romans 8:28, 38-39

Kate squeezed sand between her toes as she watched a young mother swing her daughter around and catapult her into the water. The girl giggled and called out for more. Kate looked at her mom and remembered when she was strong and healthy enough to do the same thing with her. Now if Mom wanted to get in the water at the beach, she had to crawl through the sand until she reached the water’s edge. Walking was just too painful most days.

Mom patted the blanket, and Kate curled up next to her. “Mom, why do you have this awful sickness? Why can’t the doctors help you? I’ve been praying every day, but it seems like God isn’t listening!”

Mom stroked Kate’s silky hair. “I don’t know, sweetie, but I’m so thankful you’re praying for me. Don’t give up! Remember what we read in Romans this morning about God always being with us and using everything in our lives for good?”

“I remember,” Kate said. “It’s just that all of this is so bad!”

Mom nodded sadly. “It is. But we have to keep trusting that God is working in all this bad and will make something good come out of it.”

“Hey!” Kate sat straight up. “That reminds me of the story of Joseph. He was thrown into a pit by his brothers, sold into slavery, and thrown in jail for something he didn’t do. But God used those bad things to place Joseph as second in command over Egypt. When there was a severe famine, Joseph was able to save many people’s lives!”

Mom nodded. “Joseph trusted God, even though he didn’t understand why He would allow all those bad things to happen to him. And we need to trust God in our situation. We don’t know why He allowed me to get sick, but perhaps, like Joseph’s hardships, it will help save people’s lives by pointing them to Jesus. He did the greatest good of all by suffering and dying on a cross to save us, and we can trust Him to use everything in our lives for good too.”

Kate looked at her mom. “I’ll remind us to keep trusting Him.”

Mom smiled. “I’d be thankful for that. And here’s something else to be thankful for—we’re at the beach, not in a stinky jail cell!”

–Savannah Coleman

How about you? Do you ever wonder why God allows people you love to get sick or hurt? This world we live in is full of pain and sorrow, but we are not alone. Jesus knows what it’s like to go through pain and suffering, and He promises to be with us in everything we face and use it for good. He died and rose again so we could have a future free from pain, sickness, and death. We can trust Him.

Today’s key verse: We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God. Romans 8:28 (CSB)

Today’s key thought: Trust God in hard times

Read: 1 Peter 1:18-21

“Yum!” Hazel said as her mom set a bowl of bright red strawberries on the table. They had just gotten home from the Fourth of July parade and were enjoying a snack on the patio.

“Can we go see the fireworks tonight?” Ollie asked as he popped a strawberry into his mouth. “And can Zane come with us?”

“As a matter of fact, we’ve asked Zane’s family to join us for a picnic before the fireworks,” Mom told him.

Dad smiled when Ollie let out a whoop. “I’ve been talking to Zane’s dad about Jesus lately,” Dad said. “He’s interested, but he says he can’t believe he doesn’t have to do something to earn his way to heaven—he says nothing is really free. Maybe I’ll get a chance to talk more about it with him tonight.”

Mom helped herself to some strawberries. “Did you kids enjoy the parade?” she asked.

“Yeah!” said Ollie. “When we were waiting in line to get popsicles, we talked to a man in a wheelchair. He was a veteran, and now we appreciate the freedom we have in this country more than we ever did before.”

Hazel nodded. “It never cost us anything, but it cost that man a whole lot.”

“And it cost some people even more—it cost them their lives,” Ollie added.

“It’s so easy to take our blessings for granted,” said Dad. “We forget that someone paid a big price for them.” He looked at Ollie and smiled. “You’ve given me an idea for helping Zane’s dad understand salvation.”

Ollie raised his eyebrows. “I have?”

Dad nodded. “Like I said, Zane’s dad thinks salvation can’t be free—he thinks it should cost something. Maybe I can show him that, like the liberties we enjoy in America, salvation is free to us, but someone paid a big price for it. It cost God the life of His only Son, Jesus. We can enjoy freedom from sin and life with God forever because Jesus was willing to pay the price for our salvation.”

“Wow!” said Hazel. “I’m so glad He paid the price so I could be free.”

“Me too,” said Dad. “Let’s pray that we can help Zane and his family understand that salvation is free for them too.”

–Barbara J. Westberg

How about you? Do you realize what salvation cost? Jesus had to leave the glories of heaven and live in this sinful world. He had to take the punishment you deserve and suffer and die on a cross—all to pay the price for you to be saved from sin and have eternal life with Him. Because He paid that price, salvation is free to you. Accept His gift by trusting in Him today! (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?)

Today’s key verse: You were bought at a price. 1 Corinthians 6:20 (NKJV)

Today’s key thought: Jesus paid for salvation