PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN KIDS & FAMILIES date
1.9
We can’t always be there to fight for them, but the Most High God will always be.
Inspire (for parents) When my daughter was five, she let her best friend cut her hair. With one whack of the scissors, the entire center chunk of her bangs was gone up to the hairline. At school the kids starting calling her trapezoid head. Drying her tears, my first thought was “How do first graders even know the word ‘trapezoid’?” My second thought was “How do I fix this?”
The world is shouting identity messages at our children. When those messages present an image different than the one God gives us in His Word, we need to teach our children to stand up and respond, “That is not who I am!” We can’t always be there to fight for them, but the Most High God will always be. In His unfailing love, He will lead them and in His strength, He will guide them. Awesome!
A stylist recommended an all-over short cut by Janet Lee so the funky bangs would be less noticeable. Seemed reasonable. Life with kids is rarely reasonable. Now she was being teased for looking like a boy. No one would play with her at recess, including her best “hair-cutting” friend. I watched my self-confident, outgoing little girl’s identity crumble. She felt abandoned and alone. I wanted to go with her to school to fight for her, dus 14:19–24 ) Scripture: Exo but I couldn’t. It all seemed so unfair. Fire and Cloud (The Pillars of I bought a gold locket to hold my od Is with Me Main Point: G your family to daughter’s favorite pre-haircut picture gned to allow si de is ren ce ur This reso re your child of herself. Then I placed it around ’s Word befo od G nts re in pa e r fo tim have ’s plan is her neck and told her, “You and I both Because God . ith, fa ch s ur n’ ch re ild nd ch atte rs of their re know that you are the beautiful little rtu nu n al re tu iri ild your ch to be the sp grow spiritually, u girl in this picture. Honey, your hair will yo as at th we know ally as well. grow back but until it does, wear this will grow spiritu locket, show it to the kids at school, and remember who you really are.”
ted Getting Star
Equip (for parents) During their 40 years in the desert, God led the Israelites with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. This pillar was not a phenomenon of nature. It was a physical representation of the presence of God with the Israelites. Not only was God present with the people, but He also led the people with this pillar—this physical wonder—through every moment of their desert wanderings. As parents, there are probably multiple times a day when we ache to be physically led by God! Not knowing how to handle the third tantrum of the day, trying to get the kids down for a nap through the tears and wails, or encouraging them to just finish their lunch are issues that require our patience and God’s wisdom. We all need to know that we are not parenting alone … that God is near and He is guiding us. Imagine the freedom that would come if we actually believed that God was guiding each step of our days with our children. Just as God physically saved the Israelites from slavery and led them to the Promised Land, God spiritually redeems us and guides us through this life into eternity. We were bound to sin and death until Jesus came and rescued us. God did not leave us alone in our bondage. He sent Christ who is Immanuel: “God with us.” He also sent His Holy Spirit to dwell among us.
REMEMBER VERSE
“God chose us to belong to Christ [Jesus] before the world was created.” Ephesians 1:4 (NIrV)
Support (for parents & kids) Sometime this week, read with your child the biblical account of the pillars of fire and cloud in Exodus 14:19–24. 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, “Who was in the pillar of fire and cloud?” or “What happened to the sea?” JUST FOR FUN, we suggest reading this passage to your child outside, staring up at the clouds. Grab a blanket, lie on your back, and gaze up at the clouds for a few minutes before you start to read. If you stay inside, make a fire and get cozy with your child in front of the fireplace. 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 to share with you their thoughts and questions about what they just heard. Remind them the Bible is true, and that the God who was in the fire and the clouds is the same God who is in the room with you right now.
© 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.