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“I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).

The ticking of the clock seemed to match ten-year-old Mark’s heartbeat, drowning out his thoughts as he watched the tears stream down his mother’s face. “Your Dad moved out this afternoon, Mark.” She sobbed. “I want you to understand that it’s not because of you. Please don’t think you had anything to do with it.” She went on speaking, but Mark couldn’t follow the rest of her words. A flood of memories washed over him as he remembered the things he had done with his dad—fishing, canoeing, and camping trips. Who would take him fishing now? Would he ever see his dad again?

In a world filled with sorrow, it is comforting to know that God has promised never to leave you or abandon you. Even when you don’t feel God with you, remember it is impossible for Him to lie. His promise to never leave you is true.

The next time you lose someone special in your life—whether through divorce, death, or moving away—remember that God is always your friend.

My response:
» Do I truly believe God is with me even during the worst times?
» Do I treat God like a friend who is always with me?

“But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed” (James 1:25).

“Mark,” the teacher called, “Would you come to the front of the room and be the first student to give your report?”

Mark froze. He had completely forgotten that it was due! “Umm . . . I forgot to do it,” Mark stammered.

Mark’s teacher frowned. “Very well, Mark, you will have to stay in during recess and work on it.”

Mark sighed quietly, but didn’t say anything. He knew that was only fair, but recess was his favorite part of the school day.

Has anything like that ever happened to you? It’s important to remember to do your homework, but there’s something even more important to remember—what you learn from God’s Word.

James 1:25 says, “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” The “perfect law of liberty” is another name for God’s Word, the Bible. God doesn’t want us to forget what we learn from His Word. He wants us to continue to remember and obey it.  

Unfortunately, things can keep us from remembering to even spend time with God’s Word. We can get busy with sports, video games, or activities at church. These things can distract us from spending time reading and studying the Bible.

But there are things we can do to help us remember. (1) Find a time every day that will work for you to spend time with God’s Word, and don’t do anything else during that time. Try to keep anything else from disturbing that time. (2) Write down things that you learn so you can go back and review them. Or maybe you can type them out on the computer and save them there. God’s Word is important; don’t forget it.

Always spend time with God’s Word and remember what you learn from it.

My response:
» Do I let anything distract me from spending time in God’s Word?
» Do I have a time set aside to spend time reading or studying God’s Word?
» What have I learned from God’s Word today that I can write down and remember?

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14).

If you create something (a picture or a paper airplane or a clay sculpture, or even a recipe), you have used your mind and your imagination as well as your hands, tools, and supplies. You will truly enjoy your creation, if it matters to you and if you do a good job. It may never turn out as well as you had hoped, but when you are done, your project shows others something about you, the creator. It reflects your style.

When God finished making the world, it was good (“God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). When we look at the world, we see God’s style, His creativity. We see colors and sounds and beauty. We see what He provides for us: food and water, rain and light. We experience a world of systems that work properly, such as the four seasons, always in the same order; day following night; or gravity. We see animals and plants that are so unusual and fantastic that a human being could never have imagined them. Our own bodies are amazing systems that no computer could ever equal. 

Once Adam and Eve sinned, God’s creation could no longer be perfect. It was still good, but now it had a curse on it. You may have seen this in yourself: you get sick, or things go wrong in your body, or you would like to change a part of yourself that does not seem right. God will take care of all these problems one day. If you are His child, you will be part of a new heaven and a new earth, with a new body that works perfectly at all times. But in the meantime, you are still “fearfully and wonderfully made.” For that reason we can praise God, for “it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves” (Psalm 100:3).

God doesn’t make junk.

My response:
» How can I use my body to praise God?
» How can I use my mind to praise God?

“And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy” (Exodus 33:19).

“And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness” (Jonah 4:2).

My sister Jennifer and I were fighting. We raced toward our mom. Bang! Jennifer reached the door first and slammed it shut, trying to keep me from tattling on her. At the same time, I grabbed the hinge, trying to keep the door open. I failed. Suddenly the top knuckle of my middle finger was hanging by a thread of skin.

It took several different doctors and a specialist to sew my finger back together. They told my parents that I would never have feeling in that finger again—if they were even able to save it.

But you know what? God is gracious (kind, good, and sympathetic), and He answers prayers. He answered my parents’ prayers. God not only allowed the doctors to reattach my finger and for it to stay attached, but He also gave me complete feeling in that finger!

Our God is so gracious and loving! He didn’t have to save my finger. My sin and my sister’s sin caused that terrible accident, but not only did our parents forgive us and show us love, God forgave us and healed me. He graciously tended the finger of a small child and graciously healed it when the doctors didn’t think it would heal well. Now today I can play the piano, sew, type, and feel everything that I touch. What a gracious and loving God we have!

God has been gracious, forgiving, and loving to me.

My response:
» How does God show His grace and love to me?
» When was the last time I thanked God for the kindness He’s shown me?