Where's God?

Keys for Kids - daily devotions and Bible stories for kids

Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 31:6-8; Psalm 139:7-10

Ava lay on the sofa, her face pale, her bald head a circle against the pillow. Medical treatments had caused her hair to fall out. Her grandmother looked over just as Ava dabbed a tear from her eye. "What's wrong, honey?" asked Grandma. "Not feeling so good today?"

"I'm scared," replied Ava in a trembling voice. "It seems like God has gone away. Ever since I got sick, it feels as if He isn't here at all."

Grandma squeezed Ava's hand. "It may feel like that, but God promises to always be with us. Sometimes it's hard to keep praying and trusting Him, but we need to do that." She sat down beside Ava. "The way you feel isn't surprising though. It reminds me of something that happened to me when I was little."

"Were you sick too?" asked Ava.

"Yes," Grandma said. "I was once very sick with the flu. My mother had given me medicine at bedtime and stayed with me until I fell asleep. But then, in the middle of the night, I woke up in the dark. My head throbbed, and my throat was so sore that I couldn't call out to my parents down the hall. I was too weak to get out of bed, so I just lay there crying, thinking I was all alone. But then a light switched on, and there was my mother, right beside me. She had been sleeping in a chair next to my bed the whole time!"

"So, God is still here with me even though it feels like I'm all alone?" asked Ava.

Grandma nodded. "My mother slept in that chair all night so she could stay with me, but Jesus did much more than that to be with you, Ava--He left heaven and came to earth as a baby, and when He grew up, He died for your sins so you could live with Him forever. Even though being sick may make it seem like He's far away, He's not. He promises us in the Bible that He won't ever leave us. He's with you every moment, giving you strength and comfort."

Ava was thoughtful. "Can you show me that verse in the Bible?" she asked after a moment. "I want to read it for myself."

–Violet E. Nesdoly

How About You?
Have you ever felt like God has forgotten you? When you're sick, your parent loses their job, your friend moves away, or your family splits up, it's easy to think He doesn't care and has left you on your own. But even if you don't feel God's presence, the Bible says He is near to those who know Jesus. He is always with you, no matter how you feel.
Today's Key Verse:
He [God] himself has said, "I will never leave you or abandon you." (CSB) (Hebrews 13:5 )
Today's Key Thought:
God is always with you