PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN KIDS & FAMILIES date
1.7
God always shows up. And He never fails to show us who He is.
Inspire (for parents) My father tells me a story from when I was a preschooler. We were driving away from a meeting with a realtor, my father working out budgets in his head and my mother eightmonths pregnant with my sister. They were trying to buy their first home. I sat in the backseat of their Datsun, strapped in by a lap belt as I looked out the window. My parents talked quietly to themselves. We’d just left a house that might become the home they’d “raise their family in,” a house that would become as well known to me as any of my dolls or books. “What are you talking about, Daddy?“ I asked from behind the passenger seat. “Your mommy and I are praying about getting a new house,” my father answered. “And if God is good, we might get it.” Without skipping a beat I chimed, “But God is always good, Daddy.”
My father probably shook his head. Amazed by the clarity of truth sometimes found only in the un-muddled words of a child, he agreed with me. “Yes, sweetheart, God is always good.” God might show up in the simple voice of a three-year-old with faith. He might show us His grandness in the orangey-purple of a summer sunset. Or He might show Himself in the loyal love of a friend who has walked the hard roads with us. God always shows up. And He never fails to show us who He is. by Sarah Markley
arted GettinxogdusS3:t1— 4:17
Scripture: E ush) (The Burning B Who He Is U s od Show s Main Point: G your family to signed to allow de is ren ce ur so This re fore your child God’s Word be nts in re e pa r tim fo is ve ha God’s plan se au ec B . ch ildren’s faith, attend chur rers of their ch rtu nu al n tu iri sp ly, your childre to be the u grow spiritual yo as at th ow we kn ally as well. will grow spiritu
Equip (for parents) Moses was a man in the Bible who saw the face of God and survived. He came faceto-face with holiness. Awesome! Although Moses’ relationship with the Lord was unique, he would not be the only person to have a relationship with the Almighty. God has a deep desire to be known. At the very core of who God is … is His holiness. To know God is to first know that He is holy. The complete and total “otherness” of God does not allow for any true comparison to anything or anyone else. He is distinct. He alone is holy. As parents, we often feel anything but holy. We get tired, lose our tempers, and fall short of who we wish we could be for our children. It never seems to be enough. We have a tendency to compare ourselves to others, which can either make us feel inferior or superior, depending on whom we’re comparing to. However, when comparing to God and His holiness … we always fall short. There are two responses: hide and feel shame because we’re not holy, or run to Him and seek His holiness to transform us through Jesus. So often we run, hide, or make excuses like Moses did. But God is faithful and pursues His plans for us. He uses what is right in our hands and brings Himself glory through us when we are willing. Today as you parent the children God has entrusted to you, remember God is able to give you the strength, the words, and the courage to accomplish what your day has in store.
REMEMBER VERSE
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” Isaiah 6:3
Support (for parents & kids) Sometime this week, read with your child the biblical account of God and the burning bush in Exodus 3—4:17. You can condense the length for your preschooler: Exodus 3:1–7, 9–12; 4:1–5. Before reading, pray together as a family and ask God to show you something about His holiness you’ve never noticed before. Then think of questions that review what you just read such as, “What was happening to the bush?,” “What happened to Moses’ staff in his hand?,” or “Why did God want Moses to go to Egypt?” (Note: We suggest the NIrV [New International Reader’s Version].) JUST FOR FUN, read this passage to your children in your backyard or at a park, near a bush. Let your preschooler select the bush or plant and tell you why she chose it. Set out a towel or blanket and have your children walk up to it, take off their shoes, and sit in front of it quietly. (Note: You can even create a special place in front of a houseplant.) When you’re finished, share with your children that what they just heard is a part of The Big God Story in the Bible, and they’ll hear it in church. Ask your children, “What is true about God?” He is holy, loving, perfect, always near, mighty, and more. God is all of these things, all of the time, without making a mistake. This makes Him unlike anyone!
© 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.