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

Read: Acts 16:22-26

Gabby’s grandpa was in a lot of pain. His hands were nearly crippled, and he sat in a wheelchair when he was able to get out of bed. Gabby thought she would be miserable if she were in his place, but every time she visited him, he seemed to have a smile on his face.

“How are you so happy all the time?” Gabby asked as she sat in his living room with him one afternoon.

“God has been good to me,” Grandpa said, humming softly.

Gabby’s brows knit. How could he say that when he was in pain?

“What are you humming?” Gabby asked.

“It’s a song about God being good all the time,” Grandpa said. “We need to trust Him no matter what we face. We need to remember that He is good and has given us eternal life through His Son, Jesus.”

“I wish I had faith like you,” Gabby said.

Grandpa patted her hand with his gnarly one. “Did you ever read about Paul being put in prison?”

“I’m not sure,” said Gabby.

“Well, when he was beaten and put in prison, he still sang and praised God. Everyone who heard him was shocked.” Grandpa smiled. “I want to be like that.”

“And I want to be like you,” Gabby said.

Grandpa went back to humming, and Gabby leaned into his shoulder. She felt bad for him because of his pain, but he was one of the happiest and most content people she knew. She wanted to be like him when she was older rather than a lot of the grown-ups she knew who weren’t nearly as happy or friendly.

“God can get us through all kinds of terrible times and the pain we face,” Grandpa said softly. “Because Jesus died and rose again to save us, we can be joyful and praise Him no matter what. We just need to trust Him and know that He’s with us.” Grandpa smiled at Gabby. “Maybe I could teach you the words to the song I’ve been humming?”

“Sure,” Gabby said. She was eager to learn as much as she could from her faith-filled grandpa.

–Bethany Acker

How about you? Do you know someone who is happy even when life isn’t easy? We all go through hard, painful times in life, but we can still be joyful and praise God because of what He’s done for us. If you know Jesus as your Savior, He has given you eternal life and promises to be with you through every difficulty you face. Trust Him and praise Him no matter what life brings.

Today's Key Verse: In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Psalm 33:21 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Trust and praise God always

Read: John 14:1-6

Cadence and Izabel listened intently as Dad read the story of Finn, a very poor boy who lived long ago in a faraway country. “Everyone said the king was very kind,” Dad read, “so Finn decided to go see him and ask for help.

“When Finn arrived at the palace, he was stopped at the gate. He explained that he wanted to see the king, but he was refused admission. Now what can I do? he wondered. I know! I’ll climb over the wall. He looked around to make sure no one was watching, then found a part of the wall surrounded by trees and climbed to the top. Hey! That was easy! he thought, but at that very moment, several fierce-looking dogs in the palace yard rushed up. Finn dropped back to the ground. This won’t work after all, he thought. The only way in is through the gate. Discouraged, he walked back to the gate and sat down at the side of the road.

“Soon a carriage drove up, and a young man stepped out. ‘What’s the matter?’ the man asked. Finn explained that he desperately needed help and wanted to see the king. ‘Come with me,’ the young man said. Then he spoke to the gatekeeper, and the gates were opened. They went inside, and Finn could see the dogs out of the corner of his eye. He cringed when he heard them barking. But again the young man gave orders, and the dogs were restrained.

“Finn looked at the man wide-eyed. ‘Why does everyone obey you?’ he asked in wonder.

“The young man smiled. ‘Because I’m the prince,’ he replied. ‘And now we’ll go see my father—the king.’”

Dad stopped reading and closed the book. “Do you know who Finn reminds me of?”

“Who?” asked Izabel.

“Us,” said Dad. “We all need the King of kings—God—but none of us can reach Him on our own. That’s why He sent His Son to us.”

“Jesus!” Cadence and Izabel said together.

Smiling, Dad nodded. “We can only be saved through Jesus,” he said. “We can only have eternal life with the King of kings by knowing Him.”

–Harry C. Trover

How about you? Have you ever heard that it’s not what you know but who you know that matters? That’s often true! It’s certainly true when it comes to entering the kingdom of heaven. You need to know the Son of God—Jesus—as your Savior to be saved from sin and have eternal life. Do you know Him? (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?)

Today's Key Verse: This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: You need to know Jesus

Read: Acts 17:24-27

Allison sang out the words of a song. “Yesu yana kaunar yara.”

“What language is that?” asked her friend Gianna. “Like my grandma always says when she doesn’t understand something, it’s Greek to me!”

Allison laughed. “It’s not Greek,” she said. “It’s Hausa—a language spoken in Africa. I learned that song from my Aunt Mary, who’s a missionary in Nigeria.”

“What does it mean?” Gianna wanted to know.

“It means ‘Jesus, He loves the children,’” Allison explained.

“Oh, those sound like the words to a song Mom taught me when I was little,” Gianna said. “It’s called ‘Jesus Loves the Little Children.’ The tune sounded familiar too.”

Allison nodded. “Aunt Mary teaches a class of Nigerian girls who are the same age as we are. She says one girl reminds her of me.”

“Really?” said Gianna. “My dad always teases me and says I’m one-of-a-kind. How are you and the other girl alike?”

“Well, Aunt Mary says one way we’re alike is that we both love Jesus,” replied Allison. “And she says we act alike and are interested in a lot of the same things. We’re going to write to each other, and Aunt Mary will translate for us. It’ll be fun having a Nigerian pen pal!”

“Cool! I guess we’re not as different from kids in other countries as we think we are,” said Gianna.

Allison shook her head. “Aunt Mary always reminds me that we’re all the same to the Lord. He loves Nigerian children—and all the children in the world—just like He loves us.”

“Right,” said Gianna. “Just like your song said. How did that go? Sing it again.”

Allison sang the words again, and she laughed as Gianna tried it too.

“That’s okay. You can laugh at me,” said Gianna. “I bet the Nigerians would laugh at you!”

“You’re probably right,” said Allison. “But that’s okay. God understands—even when we mispronounce all the words. It’s not Greek to Him.”

“Let’s make it a duet,” suggested Gianna. So they started singing together.

–Linda Weddle

How about you? Did you know there are children all over the world who love the Lord? They’re like you in many ways. They read the same Bible and memorize many of the same verses and even sing some of the same songs, but in a different language. Always remember that Jesus loves all the children everywhere just like He loves you.

Today's Key Verse: Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me…God’s kingdom belongs to people who are like these children.” Matthew 19:14 (ERV)

Today's Key Thought: God loves you and all children

Read: 1 Corinthians 12:14, 21-28

Brighton watched as Mom tied the sash of Kayleigh’s sparkly new dress and handed her a basket of flower petals. “It’s not fair,” Brighton muttered. She had never gotten to be a flower girl, but her little sister had been picked for that job in Aunt Erin’s wedding. “All I get to do is stand at the door and hand out programs,” Brighton said.

Mom frowned. “Brighton, please stop whining.”

“I’m not whining,” said Brighton, but she couldn’t make herself smile. It just isn’t fair! she thought again.

“Come here and see Aunt Erin’s flowers,” said Mom. Brighton walked over to the beautiful bouquet on the table. There were white roses and pink tulips, fragrant lilies, and dainty violets. “Which flower is the prettiest?” asked Mom.

Brighton studied them. “I like all of them,” she said. “It’s hard to pick one.”

“I agree,” said Mom. “It takes all the different kinds and colors to make this type of bouquet. Can you imagine the tulip crying because it doesn’t smell like the rose? Or the violet being upset because it’s smaller than the lily? That would be silly, wouldn’t it? Well, like flowers, people are different too. We all have different jobs to do.”

Brighton glanced up. “You want me to stop being mad that I can’t be a flower girl, don’t you?”

Mom nodded. “If you and Kayleigh were both flower girls, who would greet the guests? As the family of the bride, we need to work together to show Aunt Erin and Uncle Jeff how much we love them and make their guests feel welcome.”

Brighton sighed. “I guess you’re right.”

“We need to work together as God’s family too,” said Mom. “The Bible compares Christians to a body made up of many parts that function in different ways. We need to recognize that Jesus loves and died for all of us and that He’s given us different things to do so we can serve Him together. The things God has for you to do won’t be the same as those He has for Kayleigh, but whatever He gives you to do is important.”

“Like smiling as I greet everyone who comes to the wedding?” asked Brighton. Mom nodded. “Okay,” said Brighton. “Then I will!”

–Jennifer Quakenbush

How about you? Are you content doing the things God has given you to do? Or do you wish you could do what someone else is doing instead? God gives each Christian in the body of Christ—the church—different roles and tasks in serving Him and others. When you refuse to do your part, others miss out on having you share God’s love with them. Serve Jesus and show others His love by joyfully doing the things He’s given you to do.

Today's Key Verse: All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:27 (NLT)

Today's Key Thought: Every job is important

Read: Colossians 3:20-25

Daniel plopped down on the top step and scowled. His sister, Nia, found him there. “Tomorrow is Mother’s Day, and we don’t have a gift for Mom yet,” she said. “Let’s go see what we can find.”

“I can’t,” Daniel said. “Mom says I can’t go anywhere. I didn’t clean my room right away like she told me to, and then when I did do it, she still wasn’t satisfied. I told her it was my room and it looked fine to me, so I didn’t care what she thought!”

Nia gasped. “Daniel!”

“I know,” Daniel said. “It was a dumb thing to say. She grounded me and then made me clean my room again anyway.”

“Great, now how am I supposed to get her a present?” asked Nia. “Maybe if I ask her, she’ll let you walk into town with me.”

Nia went and made her request, but when Mom said no, Nia became angry and talked back. So she got grounded too.

After dinner the next day, Daniel and Nia felt bad about not having a gift for their mom. “We wanted to get you something yesterday,” Nia explained to her, “but you wouldn’t let us go to the store.”

Dad raised his eyebrows. “So it’s Mom’s fault you don’t have a present for her?”

“Well…no,” Daniel replied slowly.

“Tell me,” said Dad, “why is it you wanted to give Mom a present in the first place?”

“Because it’s Mother’s Day, and we wanted to show that we love her,” said Nia.

“And what’s the best way to show your love?” Dad asked.

“Well, um…giving presents and stuff is one way,” said Daniel.

“And we also show people we love them by the way we act toward them.” Nia sighed. “Yesterday we didn’t act like we loved you, Mom. I’m sorry I talked back to you.”

“Me too, Mom,” said Daniel. “And I’m sorry I didn’t obey you right away.”

“I forgive you both,” said Mom.

“And so will Jesus,” said Dad. “We also disobey Him when we don’t obey our parents, but He will always forgive us and help us show our love for others through our actions.”

Mom nodded. “When you obey me, you give Jesus a present too!”

–Agnes Livezey

How about you? Do you tell your parents that you love them—not only by saying it or giving them presents, but by obeying them? Or do you whine and complain and sometimes talk back when they ask you to do something? When you obey your parents, it’s like giving them a gift out of love—and you do the same when you obey Jesus. Obey Him by obeying your parents.

Today's Key Verse: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Ephesians 6:1 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Obey your parents

Read: 1 Kings 17:2-9

Ingrid sat slumped on the couch in the empty living room. Her family was next door eating lunch before packing up the moving van.

Aunt Kristin burst in holding a plate of brownies.

“Nothing will cheer me up,” Ingrid declared, turning her back to her.

“Not even my world-famous brownies?” Aunt Kristin cried.

Ingrid shook her head. Aunt Kristin plopped down next to her. “I know it’s scary and sad to move,” she said.

“I just don’t want to move!” Ingrid exclaimed. “I know it’s because my parents are helping open a new homeless shelter in the city, but I don’t want to make new friends or have a new teacher.”

Aunt Kristin gave Ingrid a thoughtful smile. “Have I ever told you about my friend Elijah? He would be thousands of years old today if he were here eating cookies with us.”

“Is he one of your Bible friends?” Ingrid asked.

“Yes,” Aunt Kristin said. “He witnessed many miracles and got to hear God’s audible voice. But sometimes God told Elijah to do hard things.”

“Like what?”

“Well, Elijah lived in a land where it hadn’t rained for years,” Aunt Kristin said. “So God led him to a brook and provided him with food. But later on, God allowed the brook to dry up so that He could send Elijah somewhere else.”

“I would’ve been scared,” Ingrid said.

“Me too,” Aunt Kristin agreed. “But Elijah trusted God, so he knew God would provide for him in the next place. And guess what happened there? God showed Elijah a family who needed his help. Through Elijah, God even raised that family’s son back to life!”

“A miracle!” Ingrid exclaimed.

“Just think,” Aunt Kristin added, “because your family is following God’s call to a new place, you’ll be able to bless people you never would have met if you stayed here—and they’ll be able to bless you.”

“No matter where I move, God will be there,” Ingrid said, smiling. “But can I take a brownie for the road?”

–Hannah Chung

How about you? Has God ever brought you to a new place? Maybe it was a new school, home, church, or friend group. Even though change can be scary, God will provide for all your needs no matter where you are. As you grow in your relationship with Jesus, He will help you remember that He is with you everywhere you go. Trust Him to help you be brave as He leads you where He wants you to go.

Today's Key Verse: And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (CSB)

Today's Key Thought: God provides where He leads

Read: Psalm 139:1-3

Ryan and his mom were having boiled eggs for lunch. Ryan watched the eggs impatiently as they rolled around in the saucepan. “How long do they take to boil?” he asked. “I’m so hungry!”

“Well, that depends on how you like them,” answered Mom. “Three minutes for a runny egg, and around ten minutes if you prefer them hard-boiled. I like them somewhere in between.”

Ryan nodded. “Me too! So how do you know when they’re just right?”

“I set a timer for just under eight minutes,” said Mom. “I bet you never knew boiling eggs was so complicated, did you?”

“I had no idea!” Ryan said as he buttered the toast. “If only you had X-ray vision so you could see inside the shell.”

Mom laughed. “Imagine that? All my food would turn out perfectly every time!”

“Yeah, no more burnt turkeys!” Ryan said. People were always teasing Mom about the time she overcooked the Thanksgiving turkey.

Just then, the oven timer began to beep. Swiftly, mom spooned the eggs into two egg cups. “Well, here it is. The moment of truth.” She grinned. “Let’s see how they turned out!”

Ryan cracked open the shell of his egg and plunged his spoon in. Sticky orange yolk oozed upward from the middle of the egg—not too runny, not too hard. Just perfect for dunking your toast in.

“Do you know what’s funny?” asked Mom. “This morning I was reading the story of how God chose David from all of Jesse’s sons.”

“I love that story!” said Ryan. “David was the youngest, wasn’t he?”

“That’s right,” said Mom. “And he wasn’t even included in the lineup! David was left out in the fields to look after the sheep. But God doesn’t miss a single thing! One by one, all of Jesse’s sons came parading before Samuel—strong and tall and handsome. But not one of them fit the bill. The Bible says God wasn’t looking at their outward appearance—He was looking straight into their hearts!”

Ryan gasped. “God has X-ray vision!”

“Exactly!” Mom said with a laugh. “God sees beyond our exterior—what we look like on the outside. His eyes see our hearts and whether they’ve been made clean by Jesus.”

–Angela Jelf

How about you: Do you worry about the way you look? Do you compare yourself to others who seem taller or thinner or have better clothes? We live in a world that places so much value on appearance, but that’s not what matters to God. He’s interested in our hearts. That’s why He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us. Trust Him to remove the sin from your heart and make you clean. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?)

Today's Key Verse: The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT)

Todays Key Thought: God searches our hearts

Read: Romans 5:6-8; 2 Timothy 1:9-10

Bax scooped the wet sand with as much care as he could stand, completing the last tower on his masterpiece. Finally, he thought. He sat back and admired his creation, but only long enough for his three-year-old brother Matt to run up from the water’s edge.

“Mommy, I found a—” CRASH! Matt tripped over Bax’s bucket and fell headlong into Bax’s castle!

“Matt! Look what you did! I’ve been working on my castle the whole time we’ve been here!” Angry, Bax advanced on his brother, wielding his plastic shovel. Matt beat a hasty retreat behind their mother.

“I sorry, Bax, I sorry! Accident!” Matt cried.

Mom stepped in. “Bax, we don’t hit others. You know that Matt just tripped over your bucket. I think you can show him some grace.”

“But Mom, he ruined my sandcastle! If I had wrecked something Matt made, I’d definitely get in trouble,” Bax complained.

“Maybe, but remember what we talked about at church this week? We don’t suffer the worst consequences for the bad things we’ve done because Jesus showed us grace. He died for us on the cross and came back to life. Because of that, you can show that same kind of grace by forgiving your brother.”

“But that’s not fair!” Bax exclaimed.

“No, that’s not fair, but neither is the grace Jesus gives us. It’s not fair that God should treat us like we’ve done no wrong when we’ve certainly lied and cheated and acted selfishly.” Mom looked at him expectantly as Matt snuffled noisily.

Bax looked down at his smashed castle, then back at his brother’s red face. “I’m sorry for yelling at you, Matt. I’m sad about my sandcastle, but I know you didn’t do it on purpose. I forgive you. Can you forgive me too?”

Matt shuffled back around Mom and said, “I sorry too, Bax. I forgive you.”

“Thank you, boys,” Mom said. “And I have an idea. Let’s go up to the snack shop and get some ice cream!”

“Yes!” both boys exclaimed, and they started running up the beach, both relieved that they had been shown grace.

–Dylan Kraayenbrink

How about you? Can you think of a time when you were forgiven even though you had done something wrong? That wasn’t fair, but it was an example of someone showing you grace. God showed us grace by sending Jesus to die for our sins. When you trust in Jesus and accept God’s forgiveness, He gives you the Holy Spirit, who empowers you to give grace to others, even when it’s not fair or you don’t feel like it.

Today's Key Verse: Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Forgive others

Read: Psalm 75:4-7; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

HONK! Honk-honk-HONK! The horn on Jace’s tricycle was making an awful racket. Mya clapped her hands over her ears as she came in from school. “You’re hurting my ears with all that honking!”

“Jace,” Mom said, “let Mya help you take your tricycle to the playroom in the basement.”

“But I wanna ride up here!” Jace wailed.

Mya picked up the tricycle and started for the stairs. “Blow it all you want in the basement where it won’t bother anybody.”

When Mya came back, she said, “Now I can tell you my news, Mom. I’ve been promoted to the advanced math class! Only five percent of the kids make that class.”

Mom came over to give her a hug. “Congratulations, honey!”

Mya beamed. “And my art teacher told me she wants me to enter one of my projects in a competition for kids my age. She thinks I might win an award!”

“That’s great!” said Mom. “I hope you win!”

“Me too. I think I will—the other kids’ projects weren’t nearly as good as mine. Now I just need to tell my friends! Oh, and I need to tell them I’m going to see a Broadway show with you and Dad in New York next month. They’ll be so jealous!”

“Mya,” Mom said, “that’s enough. You’re hurting my ears!”

Mya looked puzzled. “But Mom, I’m not talking that loud.”

“No, but you’re blowing your own horn, and it’s getting louder and louder.”

“What do you mean, Mom? I just want to share my news with my friends.”

“I know,” said Mom. “But there’s a difference between sharing an accomplishment or opportunity you’re excited about and bragging because you think you’re better than others. God has given you many blessings, like a sharp mind your teachers have helped you develop. But He wants you to use those blessings to point others to Jesus, not brag about how great you are. When none of us could save ourselves from sin, Jesus came and died for us. He’s the one who deserves our praise, not us.”

Mom smiled as the faint sound of a tricycle horn drifted up the stairs. “If you’re going to honk your own horn, do it in the basement.”

“No thanks,” said Mya. “I don’t want to sound anything like that!”

–Barbara J. Westberg

How about you? Do you like to hear people brag? Do you brag yourself? It’s great to accomplish something difficult or receive a special opportunity, so go ahead and be excited when that happens. But don’t brag. Thank God for the blessings He’s given you, and remember that He wants you to use your accomplishments and opportunities to show people the love of Jesus.

Today's Key Verse: Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth. Proverbs 27:2 (NLT)

Today's Key Thought: Don’t blow your own horn

Read: Matthew 7:9-11

Nathan typed an email to his dad, who was away on sea duty with the Navy. “The Carlsons next door have a litter of puppies,” he wrote. “Can I please have one? Mom says it’s okay with her if it’s okay with you. I wanted to have a dog just like Rex, Uncle Brad’s dog, but this one is free.” Nathan clicked send. He could hardly wait for his dad’s answer.

When Nathan got home from school the next day, Mom met him at the door. “I just talked to Dad on the phone,” she told him. “He’ll be home next week.”

Nathan grinned. “That’s great! Did he say I could have a puppy?”

Mom shook her head, and Nathan’s grin disappeared. “Dad doesn’t want you to get one right now,” she said. “I know it’s hard for you to understand, but please trust your dad. He loves you and wants what’s best for you.”

“Yeah, right,” Nathan muttered as he went inside.

For a while, Nathan’s disappointment clouded the joy of looking forward to his dad’s return. But when Dad arrived, Nathan threw his arms around him and started asking lots of questions. Then he remembered that Dad hadn’t let him get one of the neighbors’ puppies. “I still don’t see why I couldn’t get that puppy, Dad,” he said with a frown.

Just then a sound came from Dad’s pile of luggage. “What’s that noise?” Nathan asked.

Dad grinned and lifted a wriggling ball of fur out of a plastic carrier. “A puppy!” Nathan exclaimed. Dad placed the puppy in his arms. “He looks just like Rex!” said Nathan.

“The reason I said no to the other puppy was because I knew this was the kind of dog you really wanted,” Dad explained.

Mom smiled. “Like I told you before, you can trust your father to do what’s best for you.”

“We can trust our heavenly Father to do that too,” said Dad, “even when He says no to something we ask Him for. When that happens, we need to remember that He loves us so much He sent His Son to die for us and that everything He gives us is meant to help us grow in our relationship with Jesus. We can always trust Him to do what’s best.”

Nathan grinned and hugged the puppy tight.

–Agnes Livezey

How about you? Does your heavenly Father sometimes say no to the things you ask Him for? You may not understand why He answers your prayer with a “no” or “wait” instead of a “yes,” but remember that He loves you more than any earthly father could. Even when He doesn’t answer your prayers the way you want, you can trust Him to give you good gifts that help you grow in your faith.

Today's Key Verse: Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father. James 1:17 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: God gives the best