The Night Desert

Bible Reading: Isaiah 43:1-3

Lacey pushed open the screen door of the ranch house and started down the desert path. She was going to play with Ruby, her best friend and nearest neighbor. “You better get home before dark, or the spiders and snakes and coyotes will get you,” her brother Peter called after her.

Lacey made a face. “I won’t be out after dark!” She loved the desert with its prickly plants, shining rocks, and hot sand. But at night, desert breezes whistled eerily through the brush. It was easy to imagine bumping into the hard cactus spines, stumbling over a rattlesnake, or feeling the fuzzy legs of a tarantula. Coyotes prowled at night too. Their eyes glowed in the moonlight, and their way of slinking along told Lacey that they were up to no good. She knew God always watched over her, but the night desert still made her nervous.

At the Clarks’ ranch, Lacey and Ruby were soon squealing and shouting as they played outside. Then they went into the house to play a game Ruby had gotten for her birthday, and Lacey had so much fun playing it, she forgot the time. When Ruby’s dad came in from work, Lacey jumped up. “I gotta get home!” she said. “It’s getting dark already!”

Mr. Clark smiled. “Tell you what. Ruby and I will walk home with you while her mom makes supper.” Lacey nodded in relief, and soon they were on their way.

“You made it,” said Peter when Lacey arrived home. He grinned at her. “I bet you were scared every minute.”

Lacey shook her head. “Nope. I wasn’t scared at all. Mr. Clark and Ruby walked the whole way with me.”

“So? That didn’t change the desert,” Peter told her.

“No,” said Dad, who had overheard the conversation, “but having someone with you helps you feel safe and unafraid.” He grinned at the kids. “That’s one reason it’s so good to know Jesus—we always have Him with us.”

Lacey nodded. “I was glad to have Ruby and her dad with me, but I know Jesus was watching over us too. And that is good to know!” Dell S. Klein

How About You?

Do you feel afraid when you’re faced with new or scary situations? Do you fear having to do things alone? If you’re a Christian, you don’t have to face anything alone. Jesus is always with you. He doesn’t promise that scary and difficult things won’t happen, but He does promise to be with you and help you through them. Trust Him to watch over you.

Today’s Key Verse:
Joshua 1:9 Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid . . . the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (NKJV)

Today’s Key Thought:

God is with His people