Daily Devotional for November 12, 2020
The Hope of Heaven
“Look out below!” Ansel jumped off a stump into the bed of crisp autumn leaves. Amy and Ariel laughed as wide eyes stared at them from the leaf pile.
“The leaf pile is alive!” Amy shrieked. “Attack!”
The girls flopped into the pile of leaves and tickled their little brother. Mom propped her rake up against a tree and grinned, watching the craziness unfold.
“That was fun,” Ansel declared when the leaf battle had subsided.
“Remember when Dad used to pile up the leaves as tall as the car, then throw us in?” Ariel asked.
“Yeah. I miss him,” Amy replied, her voice quiet.
Mom gathered the three kids into a hug. “I miss him too, kids. We had some fun times, didn’t we?”
“It feels like we’ll never see him again.” Ariel’s eyes filled with tears.
“I understand, sweetie.” Mom’s eyes clouded over. “Life isn’t the same without Dad, and it never will be. But, because Dad belonged to Jesus, we have the hope of heaven.”
“Heaven seems so far away.” Amy sighed.
“It does,” Mom agreed. “You three have chosen to follow Jesus, right?” The kids nodded. “The Bible promises that those who belong to Jesus have hope, even in the middle of something as sad as the death of someone we love. Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and three days later, He rose from the dead! When He did that, He conquered death. We grieve our loss, but we know that it is not the end. One day Jesus will raise all Christians who have died from the dead, and we will live with Him forever!”
“Dad just got to see Jesus before us!” Ansel declared.
Mom smiled. “Exactly. We’re sad he’s gone, but because of Jesus, we have hope that we will one day see Dad again.”
“In Sunday school, our teacher said Jesus can return at any time. We’re going to hear the voice of an angel, and a trumpet, and He’ll be here in the twinkling of an eye…”
“We’ll meet Jesus in the air!” Amy interrupted her sister excitedly.
“Like this!” Ansel scooped an armful of leaves up and let them fly into the air, colors golden in the afternoon light. • Savannah Coleman
How about you?
Have you ever lost someone you love? When you lose a family member or a friend, the sorrow and anger can feel overwhelming. As heartbreaking as death is, Jesus promises that death is not the end for those who trust in Him. Just as He rose again after dying for our sins, we will be raised to life one day too. He gives us the hope of eternal life with Him.
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?