PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN KIDS & FAMILIES date
2.6
God knew His people would eventually forget what He had done for them.
Inspire (for parents) Thanksgiving has become my favorite holiday. Everything about the day is magical: the crisp fall air; the smell of turkey cooking in the oven; and friends and family gathered together. It seems to have remained true to its origin—being thankful to God for His bountiful blessings. As my family gathers for Thanksgiving dinner, we go around the table and share what we are thankful for. This has become a wonderful time to remember and celebrate all that God has done. As my children got older, we began writing down the things we were thankful for in a journal. This has become an amazing way for us to remember what we may have forgotten from the year before. When my children were teenagers, I decided it would be fun to go through the alphabet and name something we were thankful for that began with each letter. As we reached the end of the alphabet they would run out of ideas, so things like toilet paper, umbrellas, and zebras were added to our thankfulness list. Not exactly what I had in mind (but very funny nonetheless).
Thanksgiving reminds me of the festivals in the Old Testament in which God commanded His people to celebrate. God knew His people would eventually forget what He had done for them. He knew that no matter how great the blessing, we would hit hard spots and grumble and complain. So, He set up holidays for us to stop and remember how good He has actually been to us. I am grateful for time to stop and thank God for what He has given me—even if it’s just to remember to be thankful for toilet paper and zebras.
tarted Getting S 16:11a (N IrV)
by Debbie Guinn
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Equip (for parents) Seven times a year the Israelites gathered together for a festival. In Leviticus 23:1–2, the Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are my appointed feasts … which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.’” These seven festivals came to be named: Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of First Fruits, Feast of Harvest, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths). In addition, the Israelites would gather weekly to celebrate the Sabbath. These feasts were times to remember what God had done for His people and to celebrate His goodness. They were times for the whole community to gather together, without the burden of work, simply to worship and celebrate. During these feasts, the Israelites ate, danced, sang, played instruments, prayed, and sacrificed to God. Why do we celebrate? We celebrate to be together as a community—to collectively look backward so that we can look forward. We celebrate to stop for a moment in time and remember what God has done. We celebrate to teach children what is important—to show what we value. And we celebrate because God commanded it. In Exodus 12:47 He said, “The whole community … must celebrate.” He is shaping our children. He is growing them. He is speaking to their hearts. Sometimes we need to remember this so we have the strength to continue through the trials of everyday life. We need to know that He is bigger than these trials and that He is faithful to transform each of us.
REMEMBER versE
You always show me the path that leads to life. Psalm 16:11a (NIrV)
Support (for parents & kids) Your children will be spending their time at church using the Israelites’ festivals as a model for celebration, remembering what God has been doing in their hearts. Just for fun, sometime this week set aside an evening to remember and celebrate as a family. Just as the Israelite celebrations revolved around a feast, create a “feast” for your family: eat ice cream, make milkshakes, get french fries, build a fire and roast marshmallows in the backyard. Whatever you choose, do something special and spend the time remembering what God has done in the life of your family. Some lesson reminders to get you started: God gives us The Promise. (The passages of the angel visiting Mary, and then Joseph, in Luke 1:26–56 and Matthew 1:18–25) God shows us The Promise. (The narrative of the angels proclaiming Christ’s birth in Luke 2:8–20) God leads us to worship Him. (The passages of the magi following the star in Matthew 2:1–12) God protects The Promise. (The narrative of Jesus’ family fleeing to Egypt in Matthew 2:13–23) End your evening in prayer and spend some time affirming to your children the ways you see God moving in their lives.
© 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.