Turning Our Hate into Forgiveness

A Devotional for Kids!

Have you ever hated someone so much for hurting you that even the thought of having to forgive him makes you want to throw up? That’s how Darian felt in my book,  The Lion Tree. He really wanted to hold a grudge and do something terrible to get even.

He couldn’t believe that everyone would turn against him because of one kid’s lies. He finds out how fickle the people in his church and neighborhood are.  One day they’re his best friends and the next day no one talks to him.

Photo by John Haslam 

Darian didn’t want to listen to Dove who was suggesting he forgive. Listen in with me: “Darian didn’t listen too well. He didn’t want to be forced to love Snake who was so cruel to him. Was Dove suggesting that Darian should do something nice for Snake after what he had said about Uncle Elwood? Darian looked at Dove in disbelief.  He was filled with so much hate for Snake that he felt sick to his stomach.  As Dove continued to speak, Darian felt sicker and sicker until, suddenly he threw up all over Eagle.

“You will never truly be happy again until you forgive,” he cooed softly.  “Soon, God will you a chance to show Snake you forgive him – He always does – and then you will have to decide if you will help Snake and forgive Him.”

God knew people are fickle too as we learned in our Bible reading today; after all He made them.  Jesus knew it when they cheered Him on and wanted to make Him King as He entered Jerusalem on a donkey.  A few days later they wanted to crucify Him.  God forgave Israel and kept them as His chosen people and brought them into the Promised Land. Jesus forgave the multitudes and died for their sins so He could bring them into heaven.

In The Lion Tree God used a suspenseful event to grow forgiveness in Darian’s heart so he reaches out to this boy before a tragedy overtakes him.

How can we not forgive if God has forgiven us? We have no choice but to forgive.  “But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive you your sins too.”  Mark 11:25 [The Living Bible]
                               
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I want to walk with you spiritually this year, inviting you to read the Bible through from cover to cover; from Genesis 1 all the way to Revelation 22:21.  If that sounds too difficult for you and your kids, you can join in again after you have taken a break or join us for the days you’re up to it.  We will start on Sunday, January 18th and finish Saturday, January 16, 2010.  I promise that you will understand the Bible in a much deeper way if you read it through from cover to cover in a year’s time.

Accept my challenge to read the Bible through in one year chronologically, including the Old and the New Testament.

I’m going to give you an extra challenge for the next few days only. We need to read 2 days readings each day until we catch up on the right day of the year, so we can finish by December 31, 2009. 

Day 42: Today read:
Exodus 32:1-33:23
Matthew 26:69-27:14
Psalm 33:1-11
Proverbs 8:33-36

Day 43:
Exodus 34:1-35:9
Matthew 27:15-31
Psalm 33:12-22
Proverbs 9:1-6

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