ELEMENTARY KIDS & FAMILIES date
4.6
Remember & Celebrate!
Inspire (for parents) Dear God, I pray for the privilege of having a daughter. Someone with whom I could share life’s journeys. We would dream together, share joys and tears, and carry each other’s burdens. Amen. It was a short prayer, but one I prayed often when I was pregnant with my second child. Maybe it was because I had a close relationship with my mother, or maybe a secret desire to fulfill a childhood fantasy (having two kids, the first a boy, the second a girl). Whatever it was, I just couldn’t imagine my life without a daughter. So when the ultrasound confirmed a future filled with pink, I was elated. We would name her Isobel, which means “God’s promise.” We recently celebrated Isobel’s first birthday. In Korean culture, when a baby turns one, it’s cause for great merriment. Everyone gathers to feast, bring gifts, and bestow blessings on the child of honor. This deep-rooted tradition
began in an era when many children didn’t survive past their first birthdays. Isobel sat at the table, looking like a princess in her traditional Korean dress, smiling and laughing. For me, this event was more than just a birthday party; it was more than fulfilling a tradition. It was an occasion to remember and celebrate God’s goodness. As everyone sang “Happy Birthday” I offered up a prayer. “Thank you, Lord,” I whispered. “Thank you for the blessing of life. Thank you for Isobel. Thank you that you are such a good, good God.” by Jennifer Cho Salaff
ted Getting Sst5:a2–r21
ian Scripture: Ephes of Tabernacles st ea F t: in Main Po d’s Blessings) (Remembering Go your family to designed to allow is ce ur so re is Th your children d’s Word before have time in Go n is for parents Because God’s pla attend church. ildren’s faith, eir rturers of th ch nu l ua irit sp e th to be lly, your children you grow spiritua we know that as lly as well. will grow spiritua
Equip (for parents) Several times a year the Israelites gathered REM EMB “If yo together for a festival. In Leviticus 23:2, the ER v u ers Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites mou confe E s and say to them: ‘These are my appointed belie th, ‘Jesu s with y feasts … which you are to proclaim as God ve in yo s is Lor our sacred assemblies.’” These seven festivals d dead raised h ur heart ,’ and are: Passover, Feast of Unleavened i that Rom , you w m fro Bread, Festival of First Fruits, Feast of m ans i ll be t 10:9 Harvest, Feast of Trumpets, Day of save he d.” Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths). They were times for the entire faith community to gather together to simply worship and celebrate. During the feasts Support and festivals, the Israelites ate, danced, sang, (for parents & kids) played instruments, prayed, and offered Just for fun, during mealtime this week, sacrifices to God. ask your children to think about some things The Feast of Passover was fulfilled by the they know to be true about God (e.g., His love, death of the Messiah, the Feast of Unleavened His mercy, His righteousness). Then go around Bread was fulfilled by His sinless sacrifice, the table and have each person share. and the Festival of First Fruits was fulfilled by Talk with your children about the festivals the resurrection of the Messiah. The Feast of God’s people celebrated in the Bible and how Harvest began with a great harvest of three they spent time together remembering and thousand souls by the coming of the promised celebrating God’s goodness. Share with them Holy Spirit, who continues to harvest souls that one way the Israelites remembered was today. The Feast of Trumpets will announce by thanking God for His many blessings. Then, Christ’s return, the Day of Atonement will usher read Ephesians 5:2–21. After you have read in His judgment of the nations, and finally, the this portion of Scripture, spend some time Feast of Tabernacles begins the journey to our as a family praying and thanking God for new home in a new heaven and new earth. His goodness, His everlasting grace, and for Feast of Tabernacles bringing us into the kingdom of Jesus Christ, in whom we receive redemption and forgiveness This feast was celebrated to remember God’s of our sins. blessings in the wilderness as well as His continued blessings in their lives. For seven days they lived in tents or temporary shelters that they decorated with colorful ornaments. The New Testament significance of this reminds us that this life is temporary, and all our lifelong dreams, hopes, and aspirations will one day be fulfilled in our future home and inheritance with Jesus.
Remind your children that they will remember and celebrate God’s blessings with their friends at church this week.
© 2011 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.