PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN KIDS & FAMILIES date
3.5
Sometimes, when life is busy or going well, I don’t think as much about heaven. Inspire (for parents) Heaven. I’ve sung songs in church about what a wonderful place it is, but I don’t really know what it is like. Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many rooms. … I am going there to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). Whatever it might look like, it will be wonderful because it was prepared for me by God and He will be there. So, I live in the tension of being grateful for my life on earth while longing for the beauty and perfection of heaven. Sometimes, when life is busy or going well, I don’t think as much about heaven. Yet, I want to instill an excitement and longing for heaven in my children as we walk through life together.
and be separated from her here on earth, her story makes it natural for me to think about and long for heaven. In heaven there will be no cancer, disease, accidents, or injuries that cause pain or death for ourselves or for our loved ones. We will know and live in God’s perfect love. In heaven, we will also experience God’s perfect love in our relationships with those who believe in Jesus! I was excited to share with my son, “When it’s time for us to go to heaven, Auntie Jill will be waiting to meet us for the first time!”
by Allison Kenyon Recently, my eight-year-old son asked my husband, “Dad, how old were you when [your sister] Jill died?” My husband’s 13-year-old sister was n 21 (Heaven) n 14; Revelatio diagnosed with an untreatable type of Scripture: J oh ace for Me to Preparing a Pl Is us es J t: in cancer and lost her life within a month Main Po rever Be with Him Fo of the diagnosis. (My husband was 17.) your family to signed to allow Jill, a vibrant Christian, shared her faith de is ren ce ur so This re fore your child with others through her last days in the God’s Word be nts in re e pa r tim fo is ve ha God’s plan se au ec B . ch hospital and presented her nonbelieving ildren’s faith, attend chur rers of their ch rtu nu al n tu iri sp doctor with her Bible before she died. Jill ly, your childre to be the u grow spiritual yo as at th ow longed for heaven, and now she is there! we kn ally as well. will grow spiritu As difficult as it must have been for
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my husband and his family to lose Jill
Equip (for parents) In John 14, Jesus comforts His disciples after they learn of His pending death and departure. He assures them of the covenant He is making—much like a marriage covenant between a betrothed couple—and promises His return. “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1–3 NASB). Jesus often uses the metaphor of a bridegroom and his bride as a way to describe the relationship between Himself and the church. In ancient Jewish wedding traditions, when a man was to be married, his father would choose the bride for his son. A proposal was then made to the woman. If she accepted the proposal, the bridegroom would then begin to prepare a place for her in his father’s house where he would bring his bride to dwell with him. The betrothed woman would wait with the oil of her lamp burning as a symbol to her groom that she was faithfully waiting for his return. Once the father of the bridegroom saw that all of his son’s preparations were completed, he would then send the groom to bring his bride home for the completion of the wedding ceremony. Today, Christ Jesus is preparing a place for us to dwell with Him in His Father’s house. We too must wait faithfully, knowing He will return to bring us to Himself where we may dwell with Him for all eternity.
REMEMBER versE
I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 (NLT)
Support (for parents & kids) Just for fun, this week set out some paper and crayons to use after your conversation. Together as a family, read John 14:1–4. After asking your children what Jesus told His disciples He was preparing for them, explain that the place Jesus is talking about is heaven. It’s where everyone who believes in Jesus will go to be with Him forever. And it’s more beautiful than we can imagine. Revelation 21 tells us there will be gold, jewels, and lots of bright light in heaven. Now invite them to draw a picture of what they imagine heaven will be like. As they are drawing, talk with your children about their pictures. Remind them that while we don’t know exactly what heaven will look like, we do know that we’ll be with God there and that it will be amazing. Share with your children that what they just heard is a part of The Big God Story in the Bible, and they’ll hear more about heaven in 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.