ELEMENTARY KIDS & FAMILIES date
2.7
She knows I love her, even if I won’t rush to help.
Inspire (for parents) My eight-year old has been obsessed with horses since she could pronounce the word at two. By the time she was six, she could saddle a pony. Like any normal horse-swayed young girl, she even loves to do the grooming, except picking the hooves. She hates it. The hooves are cumbersome, the horse sometimes does not cooperate, and for her, hoof picking is the toilet scrubbing of the grooming regimen. “The hoof is so heavy,” she complains. “Lilly doesn’t want to let me do it!”
Although I want to help her, I don’t. She needs to go through a short season of pain so that she’ll get stronger, both in body and in will. She knows I love her, even if I won’t rush to help. I know she can do it. She’s strong, and she’s getting stronger. My daughter picks those hooves week after week and still wonders why I don’t help. It’s good for her to struggle with something because I know in the end it will help her. It makes her courageous, ready, and fearless. by Sarah Markley
She grunts, whines, and asks me to help. I shrug. “You can do this yourself,” I say to her. “But I just can’t!” Then Lilly leans slightly and stands gently on that foot, ready to give her hoof up to a 1; 3—4 be cleaned. My daughter groans Scripture: Joshu ised Land) (Entering the Prom and holds it with one hand as she Our Courage Is the Source of scrapes with the other. Her little Main Point: God and Strength bicep strains at the weight. your family to designed to allow is ce ur so ildren re is Th She has to do that to all four before your ch in God’s Word e rents tim pa r ve fo ha is muddy horse feet. After she e God’s plan church. Becaus faith, nd n’s te re at ild ch finishes the first hoof, she stands rturers of their nu l ua irit sp e ild th to be lly, your ch ren up and looks at the other three and you grow spiritua as at th ow kn we sighs. She moves to the back leg lly as well. will grow spiritua and begins again.
Getting Started
Equip (for parents)
REM “No Throughout Exodus, Numbers, and d i plea scip EMBER v Deuteronomy, Joshua held a special position pain sant line s ersE as Moses’ right-hand man, and God’s faithful e a i t profdul. Latt the tiems servant. In Numbers 13, Moses told Joshua righ uce er o me, to scope out the Promised Land along with n t f o r th eousnse a har , howebut 11 other spies. Joshua and Caleb were ve ve train ose s the only two spies who had the faith to ed b who s and pst of r, Heb y it. have eac enter the Promised Land. rew s 12 ” bee e :11 Although Joshua and Caleb had n faith to “take possession of the land,” the rest of the people were afraid. They grumbled and rebelled. Because of this, God said, “Not one Support of you will enter the land I swore … except (for parents & kids) Caleb … and Joshua” (Numbers 14:30). Then Sometime this week, read through the biblical He instructed the people and Moses to turn account of Joshua and the Israelites crossing back into the wilderness and wander until a into the Promised Land in Joshua 3:1–17. new generation had been born, and the old Let your family know this part of The Big God one had died off. Story, and God is going to do some amazing Throughout the book of Joshua, God things. repeatedly says to Joshua and the Israelites: Just for fun, invite them to whisper “Be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:9). “amazing” every time they notice something God knew the Israelites had been afraid the in the passage. When you hear a whispered last time He had instructed them to enter the “amazing, ” pause and ask “What amazing thing Promised Land. So this time, God reminded did God do?” When you are finished reading, them over and over again to, “Be strong and share with your family any “aha!,” thoughts you courageous”—to not act in fear and unbelief had from the passage. If weather permits, read as their fathers had done. the passage outside or “make camp” indoors As parents, it can be easy to become fearful by crawling under a table tent or gathering on that we will fail or fall short, afraid that we will a blanket spread on the floor. hinder our children from growing into the people When you are finished, share with your God has created them to be. It is easy to seek children that what they just heard is a part of control—to try harder to make sure our kids The Big God Story in the Bible, and they will turn out “right.” In those moments of fear, God’s hear it in church. Ask your children to share words to Joshua seem especially poignant. with you their thoughts and questions about what they just heard. Remind them the Bible is true and is God’s very special book to tell us about who He is.
© 2010 David C. Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.