Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens Keys for Kids Ministries

READ: DEUTERONOMY 6:4-9; LUKE 11:1-13



In the churches I’ve grown up in, prayers were almost always made up on the spot. And these prayers are great! But lately, I’ve also been appreciating pre-written prayers. And I’m not the only one! In the early church, it wasn’t uncommon for Christians to pray the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:1-4) three times a day. And before that, the Israelites would regularly recite a prayer called the Shema (based on Deuteronomy 6:4-9) and the Ten Commandments (found in Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 5:6-21) as part of their prayers.



While spontaneous prayer is certainly important, I think these pre-written prayers offer a lot of value as well. They can remind us of the unchanging truth of the gospel, center us (the church) around our mission, and keep us focused on God’s goodness. Plus, sometimes when I’m praying, I don’t have the words to say. These pre-written prayers can give me a place to start, and they can be a jumping-off point—something in these prayers will often remind me of something else I want to talk to God about, thank Him for, or ask Him for.



And, by reciting these prayers, we are joining in with a tradition thousands of years old. We can pray prayers that have been prayed by hundreds of generations of people following God. And they’ll be prayed for years and generations to come. Not only that; we’re also uniting with believers around the world. These prayers have been spoken in thousands of languages by people from hundreds of different cultures. How amazing is that?



By trusting in Jesus, believing in His death and resurrection, we are united with our loving God and with each other. Reciting these prayers alongside our spontaneous prayers, especially with other believers, can be a powerful way to remember these truths. • Taylor Eising



• Consider taking a moment to reread Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and Luke 11:1-13. What can these passages tell us about who God is? What can they tell us about who we are?



• As we read prayers from the Bible, we may end up memorizing them, and we can also use them as models for our own spontaneous prayers. Remember, pre-written prayers are great, but we shouldn’t stop making up our own prayers, too! Consider writing down some ideas of ways you could incorporate a prayer from the Bible (there are lots to choose from) into your life. Perhaps you could pray it before a meal, when you wake up, when you go to bed, with friends or family, etc.



One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1 (NIV) 

READ: PROVERBS 11:14; 12:15; 15:22; 20:18



Do you have people in your life who want to give you advice, like parents, teachers, pastors, counselors, or coaches? They want us to listen to what they have to say, and often we can be tempted to shrug them off, but there may be a lot we can learn from them.



Someone who has been through different seasons of life can offer a lot of wisdom, and not in the “I-told-you-so” kind of way. There are people who genuinely care and want to help. And the Bible tells us how wonderful this kind of advice can be: “The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense” (Proverbs 27:9).



When we seek the advice of others, we can be given more direction. Fellow Christians can point us to Christ and help us discern what He wants for our lives. Because the truth is, God doesn’t expect us to be able to figure everything out on our own. He provides loving wisdom and guidance through His Word, His Spirit, and His people. Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus—believing in His life, death, and resurrection—He gives us the Holy Spirit, who gives all wisdom. And He gives us the church—people who follow Jesus and also have the Holy Spirit inside of them. Through the church, we can surround ourselves with people who can offer biblical advice so we can do what Proverbs 19:20 says: “Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.” When we talk to mature Christians, they can help us align our plans with God’s good ways. So often, it’s easy to see the way we want things to go, but when we turn to different advisors, we can see if we are on the right track or completely off base.



It’s a blessing to have these people in our lives. Sometimes, it feels like other people want to criticize what we’re doing, but when we humbly seek the advice of others and truly listen to their wisdom, it can have a profound impact on our lives. • Tynea Lewis



• Have you ever been hesitant to ask for advice because you were afraid of being criticized, demeaned, or teased? This is not how God treats us, and it’s not how He calls us to treat each other. Consider taking some time to talk to Him about your hurts and the ways people have looked down on you, receiving His compassion and healing.



• What is one thing you’re facing that you could use advice on? Who are mature Christians in your life you can go to for advice, people who display the kind of wisdom described in James 3:13-18? If no one comes to mind, you can ask God to help you identify someone in the future.



Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success. Proverbs 15:22 (NLT) 

READ: MATTHEW 11:28-30; GALATIANS 1:10; COLOSSIANS 3:23-24



Have you ever felt pressure to get straight As or be the best athlete on the field? There are so many things in this world telling us to be the best at this or that. When we feel this pressure on our shoulders, it can start to crush us.



The truth is, it can be good to use the skills and abilities God has given us as we work hard for things and do our best—this can be an act of worship, honoring to God. But once we allow ourselves to be controlled by achieving the highest standing because we want to be well-liked, accepted, or feel valuable, then we know we’ve crossed a line. This can be a sign that we’re starting to forget that we are perfectly loved, accepted, and valued in Christ.



And when we forget this truth, we start allowing ourselves to do things for the approval of other people, turning away from what God wants for us. Instead of walking in God’s good ways because His unshakeable love has transformed our hearts, we begin to do things to get people to like us or accept us.



But, when we return to the truth of the gospel and we start to turn our focus on God, His Spirit works in us to align our thoughts, words, actions, and attitudes with His good ways. In the gospel, we see how Jesus died and rose again to make the way for us to be with Him, free from sin and death. Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can know that He is always with us. He loves us, He will never leave us, and we never have to earn His approval. This truth changes everything. When we rest in God’s love, we begin to do things out of our love for Him instead of to earn the approval of people. • Tynea Lewis



• When are you most tempted to idolize the approval of the people around you? Consider spending some time in prayer, asking Jesus to show you where you’re chasing after human approval, and to help you rest in His perfect love instead.



Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. Romans 15:7 (NIV) 

READ: MATTHEW 11:28-30; 14:13-23; MARK 5:21-43



One of my biggest pet peeves is slow walkers. I remember in high school I would inwardly scream when I was caught behind someone dillydallying. And now, when I go to the grocery store, I weave my cart in and out of families on busy afternoon shopping trips. I drive over the speed limit. It never seems to matter that I get up hours before I need to leave for work or class—I’m always rushing out the door with my shoes untied and coffee spilling out of my mug.



But then I think, and I wonder: Was Jesus a slow walker? If I were lucky enough to be one of the disciples who lived with Jesus for three years, what would I learn about the pace of His life?



Everywhere Jesus went, He taught and healed and saved. Although His days were packed with action, Jesus allotted time for interruptions to His rhythms and routines. In Mark 5, a father named Jairus pleaded with Jesus to heal his dying daughter, and Jesus agreed to go with him. Now just consider Jairus’s panic and desperation, but also hope, as they made their way through town. This man was in a rush to get home. But then, Jesus just stopped, and said, “Who touched my clothes?” I imagine Jairus thinking, What does He mean ‘who touched me’? The crowd is all around Him! In the middle of Jairus’s darkest hour, Jesus stopped for a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. Then, Jairus found out that his daughter had died during Jesus’s short delay. The messengers said, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the teacher anymore?” (verse 35). But Jesus knew it wasn’t too late. He knew there was enough time for both the woman who was bleeding and for Jairus’s daughter. On that day, He healed them both.



Jesus was present. He was keenly aware of His surroundings, and He had compassion on those around Him. Jesus paused to listen to others’ needs and love them well. In the same way, Jesus is attentive to us, and He invites us to live and love like He does. When we slow down, we can begin to notice the Holy Spirit moving within and around us. Rather than always focusing on “the next thing,” we are invited to come and see what He is doing in the present moment.



So yes, I think Jesus was a slow walker…and I want to be one, too. • Zoe Brickner



• Do you know anyone who lives their life at a slower pace, making an effort to be attentive to the Holy Spirit and to the people around them? What is it like to be with them?



• Consider taking a moment to ask God to help you be more aware of His constant presence with you, and more responsive to His invitations to rest in Him and to love and serve those around you.



“For my [Jesus’s] yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:30 (NIV) 

READ: PSALMS 23:5-6; 34:8; HABAKKUK 3:17-19; JAMES 1:17
In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice! He has given Life to me— His sinless sacrifice set me free. In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice! In the grave His body lay— Sin’s ransom fully paid. In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice! On the third day Hell did weep— Death’s final, dark defeat! In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice! May His grace be ever praised, Oh, the glory of His ways! In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice! In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice!What comes to mind when you hear the words: “God’s goodness”? If I’m honest, I think of the times that God helps me out when I’m in trouble. Especially if the problem was brought on by...uh, dubious choices of my own! Don’t get me wrong— thanking God for His help in times of trouble is good. But in the Scriptures that inspired this poem, I noticed that God’s Word portrays His goodness as far more than His kindness or help in trouble—though it is that!
God’s goodness is a part of His very nature (Exodus 33:19; Psalm 34:8). It is evidence of His unceasing, divine work on our behalf—recrafting and redeeming all things for our ultimate deliverance from sin and all its effects. His goodness is His presence experienced in the midst of pain—or His restraint when we desire vengeance. It is His relentless, pure, and undying love—which is displayed on the cross: God in flesh, dying to conquer sin and rising again to restore all that was broken, shamed, or lost. God’s goodness is the glory of this redemption. And glimpses of His goodness lie in every beautiful thing we experience—made not only to draw us to Him, but to delight in through all eternity. Therefore, let us say with the psalmist: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever” (Psalm 118:1). • G. Kam Congleton
• As you read today’s Scriptures, what are some ways you notice God’s goodness portrayed? Consider taking a moment to praise God for His goodness to you personally, and ask Him to help you recognize the ways His goodness is made real to you. You could even write a letter, poem, or song to God, thanking Him for some of the ways you see His goodness in your life.
“…may your faithful people rejoice in your goodness.” 2 Chronicles 6:41b (NIV) 

READ: PSALM 23; 2 CORINTHIANS 7:5-7



Once again, intense pain had brought me to the emergency room where I waited to be admitted to an upstairs room. Beyond discouraged, I asked the Lord, “Do You still love me?” My depression deepened as one nurse after another poked me with needles and questioned me.



The paramedics had been concerned and caring. At the hospital, the staff seemed determined to add to my suffering. How I longed for someone gentle to care for me. Someone like Annie.



Annie was the friend who had introduced me to my boyfriend. A few days earlier, she had begun her first nursing job in this same hospital.



“Lord Jesus, please fix it that Annie is my nurse.”



It was a crazy prayer. The hospital was large, and I had no idea what department or shift my friend was working. Still, I repeated my prayer until the shots did their work and I fell asleep.



Before I knew it, I was at an upstairs nursing station. A familiar voice nudged me awake. Opening my eyes, I looked into the face of my admitting nurse.



It was Annie. • Kathy Irey



• Have you ever felt like God had stopped listening to your prayers? Was there a way He showed you He still cared? If not, you can ask God for this anytime. The Lord may not always take away our pain, but He’ll let us know, He has not abandoned us. (If you want to dig deeper, read 2 Corinthians 1:3-11; 12:7-10.)



• When we feel like no one understands our suffering, Jesus does. He suffered for us so that we could befree from the bondage of sin (Isaiah 53). When Jesus returns, He will make all things new; then sin and all its effects will be gone for good, so terrible things like pain and depression will be no more (Revelation 21:1-5). Until that day, He stays with us through everything. Even when it feels like He’s distant, He is always so very present with us—through His Spirit, His Word, and His people. Are there any Bible passages that have resonated with you in times of sorrow and pain? Are there any people in your life who have embodied the kindness of Jesus to you, like Titus did to Paul, and the Corinthian Christians did to Titus, in 2 Corinthians 7:5-7? How might you be able to share the comfort He has given you with others?



“I [Jesus] am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20b (NIV)