Pumpkin Devotional

I found this neat idea for a pumpkin devotional on the internet. Each devotional varied a bit in words so I used my favorites and added some scripture that came to mind with each step. My husband and I plan to use this at our fall harvest party the end of this month. I'm excited to be able to point the kids to Jesus while having fun carving pumpkins!!


Choose your pumpkin:
When you choose your pumpkin this should remind us how God chooses us and brings us into His family, washing off all the dirt that we got from being outside and around the other pumpkins. God selects us out of the world. We are in the world, but no longer of the world.

2 Corinthians 6:17-18
Therefore come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you. I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the LORD Almighty.

Cut off the top and clean out all the seeds:
Just like when God reaches into our hearts and cleans out all of the yucky stuff inside that’s called sin - all the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, and fear.
God replaces them with seeds of faith, hope and love. After Jesus is invited inside, you begin to experience the changing power of God’s love in your life.

Carve:
When we become a follower of Jesus, God carves a new smiling face in each of us. We are forever changed by the power of His presence in our life. We then become so grateful that it can even show on our face!

Proverbs 15:13
A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.

Light:
Now we are going to light the candle inside.

This pumpkin now reflects the light from inside out. So too, when Jesus, who is called the Son of Light, lives inside of us, He shines through our life for all to see. We can let His light reflect through us to reveal His presence.

Matthew 5:14-16
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

So you see, we Christians are really like this pumpkin! We will never be the same with Jesus inside of us.

Lets now say a short prayer:

Father God, thank You for asking us to be Your children.
We want to be more like Jesus.
We want others to see Your light shining in our lives.
Help us to open our hearts to You.
Take away all our bad attitudes.
Give us Your light and love inside.
In Jesus' Name we pray.
Amen