12 Days of Christmas Family DevotionalSample

READ TOGETHER

Do you remember what God promised Abraham? He told him to look up in the night sky and promised that he would have more descendants than the stars! God also promised that he would rescue the world, through their one, special family. Because God always keeps his promises, God’s promise to Abraham stayed true for his son Isaac, and for Isaac’s son, Jacob!

God had a special rescue plan in mind, and that rescue plan was coming through this family. But this family that God had chosen was not perfect—not Abraham, not Isaac, and not Jacob! Jacob had struggles with his brother, with his father, with his in-laws, and even with God. But God still spoke to him, and God still used him. This is good news for us! We do not have to be perfect to be a part of God’s plan.

One day, Jacob was beginning a journey. He walked and walked all day, until the sun went down. He knew that he needed to find a spot to sleep. Since there were no hotels in those days, he made himself a bed on the hard ground, using a stone as a pillow. How do you think he slept that night? He must have been very tired, but he still dreamed a very important dream. 

Jacob dreamed about heaven and about God! He dreamed about a stairway that went from earth all the way up into heaven, and with beautiful, powerful angels of God going up and down the ladder. The best part of all? At the tippy-top of the ladder was God, and God spoke to Jacob. He gave him the same promise he had given his father and his grandfather! God told Jacob that he would give him and his family the land he was lying on, that all people on the earth would be blessed through his family, and that he would be with him and watch over him wherever he would go. 

Luckily for us, that promise isn’t just for Jacob. God’s promise is true for us too, even when we might struggle, like Jacob. God is always with us, always watching over us—no matter where we go—no matter what we do. God’s promise stands: he will never leave us.

TALK TOGETHER

1. What kind of promises have you made before in your life? Is it easy or hard to keep promises?

2. How does it make you feel that God has promised to always be with you, to watch over you, and to never to leave you?

PRAY TOGETHER 

Father God, you are a loving God. You use people even when they make mistakes or when they have struggles. Thank you for always being a God who gives us second chances. Holy Spirit, help us to know that you are with us and that we are never alone when we have you in our lives. We love you! In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.