Family Devotion
January: Determination
Week of January 14
Central Truth for the Month: Finishing what you started shows your devotion to God and the life He expects
you to live.
Central Verse for the Month: “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
Intro:
Have any of you ever started something that you really didn’t think you were going to be able to finish?
Allow for responses from family members. God knows that tough times come up and sometimes we have to do
things that just aren’t very much fun to complete, but He calls you to finish what you start instead of giving up.
Application:
In the Old Testament there was a group of people known as the Israelites. God gave the Israelites land known
as the “Promised Land,” and part of it was in a place called Canaan. God told Moses to send in some spies to
Canaan in order to see what was in store for them. Moses chose twelve different men to go explore the area that
God had given to the Israelites. The men went into Canaan and after forty days of exploring, they returned and
told Moses that the land was awesome. It had all that they would need! However, ten of the twelve spies insisted that there was no way that they were going to get the land. They said that the people were far too big and
powerful and that the walls protecting the city were way too strong to ever be conquered. Those ten men truly
believed that the Israelites should quit and not try to finish what God called them to do: enter into Canaan. They
began to spread the idea of quitting to all the people.
Two guys named Joshua and Caleb had a different opinion though. They had explored the land with the other
ten guys and had seen the same exact things, but instead of thinking they should quit, they decided that they
should try to take over the land! Joshua and Caleb knew that the Israelites could definitely win if they tried to
get the land, and they told the people exactly that. QUESTION: How do you feel when others have a different
opinion from you?
The Israelite people had been promised this land. They had worked towards getting this land too, but because of
a few negative people they suddenly didn’t want to finish their task. Joshua and Caleb knew the importance of
finishing a task, and they knew that God would give them the strength and ability to finish the task that they had
started. These two guys knew for certain that because God was on their side then anything was possible, and
they knew that God would provide them with whatever strength, willpower, tools, and abilities that they needed to enter into Canaan. Always remember that God will give you what you need to finish the task that He has
given you; you don’t have to worry about that. You just have to be willing to finish whatever it is that you have
started!
The Bottom Line:
God will give you what you need to finish the task.
Parents: Have a family discussion about some things that God wants you to complete, individually and as a
family. These can be short-term or long-term goals. Seek the Lord for guidance as you strive to finish well in
these areas.