Daily Devotional for March 2, 2018
Always Room for One More
Ian stood beside his dad on the cracked, uneven sidewalk of Nairobi, Kenya, and watched in fascination the hustle and bustle of city life around him. Horns blared, the sounds of people speaking other languages filled his ears, and the sour smell of diesel fumes from passing cars and buses made him want to hold his nose.
“Hey, Dad!” he called over the noise. “What do they call minibuses in Africa again? I forgot.”
“They’re called matatus.” Dad pronounced the word again slowly. “Muh-TAH-too.”
Just then a brightly colored matatu with writing and pictures on it sped around the corner and came to a screeching halt in front of them. Ian and his dad climbed in, and four more people crammed in behind them. A lady with a live chicken squeezed in and held it on her lap like she was giving it a big hug. Just as they were about to drive off, three more men hopped on and held on tight as the matatu sped up and started zigzagging from one lane to another. The ride was bumpy and fast.
“That was awesome!” Ian said after Dad paid the matatu driver and they climbed off. Dad looked a little dazed.
“Dad, why did more people keep getting on when we were running out of room?” Ian asked.
“Well, Nairobi is a big city, and it’s the cheapest way to get around if you have to get somewhere fast,” Dad explained. “A famous saying about matatus is, ‘There’s always room for one more!’”
“That’s kind of like the Bible verse you read during family devotions last night,” Ian remarked. “The one that talks about God’s house being full.”
Dad nodded. “Good memory. Luke 14:23—‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in so that my house will be full.’ Jesus longs for each of us to have a relationship with Him and wants us to share that good news with others so we can all live with Him in heaven one day. He wants His house to be full.”
“But He’ll never run out of room or turn anyone away.” Ian grinned. “Sort of like a matatu.”
“Right,” Dad said with a smile. “Because in heaven, there’s always room for one more.” – Kelly Hope
How about you?
Do you tell others about Jesus? God’s love is so big that He sent His Son to die not just for you but for the whole world! He welcomes anyone who comes to Him, and He wants you to let others know they can live with Him forever. Pray for people who haven’t heard about Jesus—both where you live and around the world—and ask God to use you to help fill His house by telling others the good news.
Thank you for reading this Keys for Kids devotional! Did you enjoy the story? Has Keys for Kids been an encouragement to you and your family? If so, would you please consider supporting Keys For Kids Ministries in our effort to continue to provide these daily devotionals to children around the world?