When Fire and Bears Reflect God’s Holiness!

A Devotional for Kids!

Sometimes the Bible reads like a fairytale.  In the Bible men sometimes commanded animals and nature to do their bidding in unbelievable ways; that is until we realize that God’s power resided in the men who preformed these acts. Ultimately it was God who controlled the animals and nature.
During Jesus and His disciples’ travels a Samaritan village rejected Him.  Jesus’ disciples wanted to command fire to come down from heaven to burn them up. Jesus reminded them that He came to save mankind not to destroy them.

The disciples refer to Elijah who called fire to come down from heaven to destroy the King of Samaria’s men who questioned God’s power in that prophet.

Photo by Marshmallow
This reminds me of Elisha, the prophet who came after Elijah died.  Elisha had gone up the mountain with Elijah. He saw chariots of fire take Elijah to heaven.  When he came down and told the people, they did not believe him. They went up to search for Elijah.

Some young men came out to taunt Elisha.  They called him, “Bladhead!” They didn’t honor him as God’s prophet, replacing Elijah. They taunted Elisha to go up to the mountain to find Elijah.  This indicated disrespect for God because they did not honor His prophet who spoke for Him.

Elisha pronounced a curse on them in the name of the LORD.  Suddenly two female bears came from the forest and attacked the young men. You can read about it in 2 Kings 2:23 and 24.

  Sometimes we want God to judge others and get back at them for us when they hurt or offend us.  But God loves them too and He shows them mercy so they can repent and come to Him.  Jesus came to bring us to God.  Our task is to forgive, not to judge and condemn.

God still does miraculous, supernatural works for us.  But they have to be for good purposes, to help people, and above all to glorify God. He is able to do things way beyond our imagination – way beyond any fairytale.

 “Now glory be to God who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of – infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.”  Ephesians 3: 20 [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.  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.

Today read:
Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30
Luke 9:51-10:12
Psalm 74:1-23
Proverbs 12:11
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