Daily Devotional for November 2, 2020
Better Than Rewards
“First I got an email from Juliana today,” Piper told her brother one afternoon. Juliana was their cousin who lived in another state. “She has to learn about three hundred Bible verses for church,” Piper said.
“Three hundred!” exclaimed Tanner.
“Well, she doesn’t have to learn that many, but she hopes to win a free week at camp next summer,” Piper explained. “I wish our church had a contest like that so I could go to camp for free. Then I’d learn verses too.”
“I don’t know,” said Tanner. “That’s still too many.”
“Memorizing verses to win a week at camp is fine,” said Mom, “but there’s an even better reason to learn them. God can use His Word to remind you of His love and to teach you how to handle various things that happen in your life. Tell you what, I’ll give you both a list of verses to work on. Start learning them and see what happens.”
Piper wasn’t sure she wanted to, but she agreed. In the next few weeks, she was surprised to see how quickly she could memorize verses when she really tried. She was also surprised at how often she recalled one of them.
There was the day a big dog started following her as she walked to school. Piper caught her breath—the dog seemed friendly, but she was afraid of dogs! Suddenly she remembered a Bible verse. Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. She kept saying the verse over and over, and soon her fears were quieted by the thought that Jesus was with her.
Later that day, Piper’s friends were saying unkind things about another girl. Piper was ready to join in with her own comments when another verse she had memorized popped into her mind. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Then another verse came to her. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up. Piper bit her tongue and quickly changed the subject.
“Mom, you were right,” Piper said when she arrived home. “Learning God’s Word so I have it in my heart is even better than a free week at camp!” • Charlie VanderMeer
How about you?
Do you learn Bible verses even if nobody promises a reward in return? It’s always nice to receive prizes or win a contest, but knowing God’s Word so you can use it in your daily life is much more rewarding than anything a person can give you. Learn Bible verses for that purpose—to remember God’s love for you and seek His guidance in all you do. You can start with today’s Key Verse! Say it several times each day until you know it by heart.
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