PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN KIDS & FAMILIES date
2.12
Having a sick child is one of the hardest parts of being a parent. Inspire (for parents) When my oldest daughter was four, she was very sick with one infection after another. First it was her ears, but then it became more mysterious. She would suddenly be struck with swollen glands and high fevers that would cause her to hallucinate, landing us in the local hospital ER. The doctors didn’t know what was wrong. Invasive tests, IV needles, ice-water baths, and all kinds of other unpleasantness ensued. As parents, you just keep hoping you’re making the right decision each time you authorize a new test, a new drug, a new procedure.
children trust us absolutely and depend on us to take care of them. And usually we’re quite capable of taking care of them. But when they’re sick, we can’t always make things better. It’s a helpless feeling. Those are the times when we can go to the Great Physician. We can pray and ask God for wisdom and direction. And we can boldly pray for healing. The same Jesus who healed the sick and lame and blind in the New Testament still heals today. He may choose to use doctors and medicine, or He may heal supernaturally. Jesus is healer.
by Janet Lee After nearly a year and several hospitalizations, the doctors decided to take her tonsils out. She had not tested positive for tonsillitis and they looked healthy from the outside, but our pediatrician was suspicious nonetheless. At this point I trusted Mark 5:21–43 uke 8:40–56; that God was answering our prayers. r) Scripture: L irus’s Daughte (Healing of Ja The surgeon said her tonsils were so sus Is Healer bad on the inside that her body was Main Point: Je your family to being constantly bombarded with signed to allow de is n ce ur so This re re your childre infection and her kidneys could not od’s Word befo G in e r fo tim is ve ha ’s plan . Because God keep up. She would have never gotten of attend church tual nurturers iri sp y ar the prim well had they not removed them. It took grow u yo as parents to be at th faith, we know well. two more years for her to fully recover. their children’s ow spiritually as children will gr ur yo ly, al tu iri sp Having a sick child is one of the hardest parts of being a parent. Our
ted Getting Star
Equip (for parents) A significant part of Jesus’ ministry was healing those who came to Him in faith. He performed many healings and miracles throughout His ministry, concerned for both the spiritual and physical healing of people. In Luke 8:40–56 we can read the accounts of two very different people who experienced healing from Jesus. The first was the 12-year-old daughter of Jairus, a synagogue official who would have been a prominent figure in the Jewish community. The other was a woman who had a blood condition that had made her constantly bleed, for ironically the same 12 years. In the Jewish socioeconomic culture, this woman would have been considered “ceremonially unclean,” meaning she would have been excluded from Jewish society and unable to worship in the temple, attend social gatherings, and was even unable to touch another person for fear that they too would become unclean. As different as their backgrounds were, this woman and Jairus did share something extremely significant— both experienced the healing love of God. In both cases of healing we see the incredible amount of love and respect Jesus showed each individual. Jesus showed no favoritism or discrimination between these “daughters.” He regarded them as valuable and loved by the Most High God. Jesus made no distinction in the people He healed. His healing not only demonstrated His divine power, but it showed the love and compassion He had for even those who were otherwise marginalized in society.
REMEMBER VERSE
Love one another. You must love one another, just as I have loved you. John 13:34 (NIrV)
Support (for parents & kids) JUST FOR FUN, choose a night this week to read this part of The Big God Story at bedtime. Talk about how many sick people have to spend time in bed because they don’t even have the strength to get up. Then together read Mark 5:21–43. After reading, ask your children what was the one thing that was the same in both of these healings. Share with them that both the woman and the synagogue ruler believed that Jesus had the power to heal. Remind your children that Jesus has that same power to heal today. Then, pray together as a family for someone you may know who needs to healed. Thank Jesus that He is healer. Remind your children that what they just heard is true and part of The Big God Story. Explain that they’ll hear more in church this week about Jesus being our healer.
Jesus made no distinction in the people He healed. © 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.