Daily Devotional for December 19, 2021
Unexpected Gifts
Lucas looked down at his hands in his lap. He was spending another afternoon in the principal’s office. He knew Jane and Steve were going to send him back this time. He just knew it.
When his foster mom came to pick him up, they rode home in silence.
“Here we are,” Jane said when she turned off the engine. And here it comes, thought Lucas. Right before Christmas too. He fully expected to walk in and see his bags packed by the front door. Just like every other foster home he’d been to.
But when he walked in the door, Jane said, “I made some cookies while you were at school today. Do you want one?”
“Um, sure,” answered Lucas tentatively. He glanced around for his suitcases. They weren’t there.
Jane handed him a cookie and a glass of milk, looked him in the eye, and said, “You are forgiven, Lucas.” She patted his head and walked away.
The next day, Lucas pulled the cat’s tail. Steve made him feed the cat for a week to make up for it, but before he did that, he said, “You are forgiven, Lucas.”
For the next two weeks, Lucas got into trouble again and again. And all that Jane and Steve ever said was, “You are forgiven, Lucas.”
On Christmas morning, Lucas stared in wonder at the pile of presents under the tree. Were they all for him?
“Merry Christmas, Lucas!” exclaimed Jane as she walked into the living room. “It’s time to open your gifts!”
Lucas dropped to his knees and began to sob. “I can’t! I don’t deserve them! I am so bad!”
“Lucas,” said Steve softly as he put an arm around him, “these are gifts. By definition, gifts are free. You can’t earn them or work for them. You simply have to receive them. God’s love and forgiveness are gifts too. No sin you’ve ever done can keep you from them. All you have to do is receive them.”
Lucas wiped his tears. “I want to be forgiven,” he said.
“You can be. Let’s pray right now and ask Jesus for salvation—the best gift of all,” said Jane as she knelt down beside them. “He wants to fill your life with His love, forgiveness, and many other good things.”
-Laura Kuehn
How about you?
Do you ever feel that you’re not worthy of receiving good things? Do you sometimes think you make too many mistakes to be truly forgiven? The Bible says that if we have faith in Jesus, God has removed our sins far from us. There is no sin that God’s love can’t cover. Trust Jesus today and accept the best gift of all—salvation! (To learn more, click the “Good News!” button in the right column.)
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?