Thank you for joining Keys for Kids Radio's Countdown to Christmas Advent Activity! Read the story below, answer the questions on the cards, and send us a voice message with your answers! Then you could hear yourself on Keys for Kids Radio as we talk through each day's story!
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Gabe and Asaph
Gabe crossed his arms and scrunched his face in disgust. “Hunter’s parents let him do anything he wants,” he told his dad, “and it seems like everything always turns out right for him. He just got a brand-new skateboard for Christmas!” Gabe started to feel bitter as he thought of all the things Hunter had. “I thought God would treat people who love Him better than those who don’t. Hunter isn’t a Christian, but he’s got better things than me! How come?”
Dad smiled. “You sound a lot like Asaph.”
“Like who?” Gabe peered quizzically at his father.
“Asaph. He was a man who wrote some of the psalms in the Bible. Come over here—I’ll show you.”
Gabe and Dad sat down on the sofa, and Dad brought up Psalm 73 on his phone. “Look here, Gabe,” he said. “At the beginning of the psalm, Asaph is complaining to the Lord because evil people are prospering and having lots of success while terrible things are happening to him.” Dad read several verses.
“Wow! I know just what he means,” said Gabe.
“I thought you might,” said Dad. “Later verses show that Asaph changed his mind. He was reminded that people who don’t know the Lord can only look forward to destruction in the end. Those who are saved will have it good when life on earth ends.”
Gabe thought about that. “I guess I don’t have it so bad after all,” he said. “Hunter will get what’s coming to him someday.”
“Whoa!” said Dad. “Not so fast. We can be thankful that God has shown us mercy. It’s only because we trust in Jesus, who took the punishment for our sins by dying on the cross, that we won’t get what we deserve. It’s not up to us to judge Hunter. Instead, let’s pray for him. Ask God to use you to show Hunter His mercy and love so he will put his trust in Jesus and all will be well for him in the end. Okay?”
Gabe nodded. “Okay,” he said. “I know Jesus loves Hunter too, and I want both of us to spend eternity with Him.”
So how about you?
Do you know unsaved people who seem to have it better than you? Unless they trust Jesus as their Savior, they don’t have a future with Him in heaven. Thank Jesus for saving you from sin, and pray for those who don’t know Him. Tell others what He’s done for you so they might know they can be saved from sin and have eternal life with Him too.
Key Verse
Psalm 73:28 NLT "How good it is to be near God! I have made the sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do."
Key Thought
Jesus saves us from destruction.
Further Reading
Psalm 73:3-7, 12-18, 25-28