ELEMENTARY KIDS & FAMILIES date
4.4
WE WONDERED IF OUR DAUGHTER WOULD BE ABLE TO COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS. Inspire (for parents) Lying in a hospital bed, my eight-year-old daughter slept peacefully for the first time in days. The wind and rain rapped against the window on this night just days before Christmas. But the room was quiet except for the rhythmic beeping of her oxygen monitor. Pneumonia was the diagnosis. Never had my prayers been so earnest and simple: “Heal her and bring her home.” Three days later we were still in the hospital waiting for a change in her condition. We wondered if our daughter would be able to come home for Christmas. Laying our hands on her body, we prayed for Kayla as a family.
good question,” I replied quietly. “Mama,” she said, “I think it is because God wants us to know that life is hard.” I was both saddened and amazed by the realization of what my daughter described as our human condition. I immediately examined my motives. Were my prayers merely for an escape from danger or for the wisdom to live through difficulty by the power of God’s sustaining grace? That Christmas, God not only provided a way for my daughter to leave the hospital—He also helped me discover a new way to pray. For both I am grateful.
That night I stayed with my daughter and prayed by Amy Palmerton that her fever would break so we could go home. Instead, her fever spiked again, and we lost hope that she would be home in time for Christmas. Sensing her discouragement, I crawled 12:1–19 Scripture: Acts into the hospital bed, pulled from Prison) er ( Pet Delivered her close to my chest, and Answers Prayer hugged her thin, hot body. Main Point: God time in ur family to have signed to allow yo de is cause ce Be . ur ch so ur re is ch “Mom, why when you pray Th ren attend ild ch ur yo rs re fo rtu y spiritual nu re God’s Word be for healing does God not heal s to be the primar nt , re lly pa r ua fo irit is sp n you grow God’s pla you right that second?” Kayla , we know that as ith fa n’s re ild ch of their well. asked. grow spiritually as your children will “Sweetie, that is a very
Getting Started
Equip (for parents) Equip is additional background information that will help you introduce this Scripture passage to your children this week. We see the power of intercessory prayer throughout all church history—including during the reign of Herod Agrippa, who descended from several other wellknown Herods of the Bible. He was the grandson of Herod the Great (the king who ordered the death of male babies shortly after Jesus’ birth in Matthew 2:1–16) and the nephew of Herod Antipas (the one who played a role in Jesus’ trial). Herod Agrippa ruled over the Palestinian territory from AD 41–44 after spending much of his childhood, and even adult life, in Rome. He was committed to maintaining Pax Romana—Latin for “Roman Peace.” This meant keeping the Jewish religious leaders happy or risk the threat of an uprising. When the new church community began to welcome Gentiles into their circle of worship, the Jewish community was outraged. To show solidarity with the Jews, Herod began to persecute the leaders of the early church (Acts 12:1). The first apostle he killed was James, the brother of the apostle John. James’ death increased Herod’s popularity with the Jews, which only fueled his desire to hunt other Christian leaders. Among those targeted was the apostle Peter. Acts 12 recounts James’ death, then proceeds to narrate Peter’s ominous imprisonment and imminent execution, as ordered by Herod. While Herod strategically planned to kill off the early church leaders and destroy the entire movement, he had no clue about the forces that were against him. Through prayer, the early church took the battle to God. God intervened by miraculously releasing Peter from prison
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EME “Let MB rule the pe ER VERS E as m in your ace of C you embe hearts hrist rs o wer , sin f And e called one bo ce be to p dy eace Colo than k ssia . ns 3 ful.” :15 and demonstrating that He hears the prayers of His people by responding.
Support (for parents & kids) This week, JUST FOR FUN, gather your family together right before bedtime to read about God answering the prayers of the early church in Acts 12: 1–19. After reading, ask your children how God answered the prayers of the church. Then have each person share how he might have felt if he’d been Peter and an angel had set him free. Next, allow each family member to share a prayer request. Remember, nothing is too difficult for God! Then, together as a family, practice the posture of kneeling in prayer and lift your requests to God. Remind your children that what they just heard is a part of The Big God Story and they will hear more in church this week about how God answers prayers.
HE HEARS THE PRAYERS OF HIS PEOPLE.
© 2012 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.