Weekly Inspiration
“There
is no doubt that it is around the family and the home that all the greatest
virtues, the most dominating virtues of human society, are created, strengthened
and maintained”
~Winston Churchill
Family Closeness
Game:
Sound Effects Machine
This game can be played individually or with the
whole family working together. The aim of the game is for certain sound effects
to be produced using only your voice or your body (clapping, stomping,
clicking). You can come up with your own sound effects but here are some
examples:
- a football game
- the rain on a tin roof
- a percussion band
- angry wasps
- a rainforest
Sharing:
Questions for
stimulating discussion in your family.
- Are you more like a candle or a flashlight? Why?
- What is something you have learnt from a friend?
- Would you rather have a house with no roof or no walls?
Story
With your family read: Mark 2.1-12
Questions
for Discussion:
- When the people carrying the paralysed man couldn't get to Jesus what did they do?
- Why were the scribes angry at Jesus?
- What did Jesus say he had authority over?
- What would you be willing to do to help a friend in need?
About the Bible Bit
This is a
wonderful story about determination and faith. The people who carried the paralysed man
dug through what was probably sticks and mud to get to Jesus. Imagine what it
would have been like inside the house being covered with dirt as the roof was
ripped up. Jesus is so impressed with their faith he tells the man his sins are
forgiven. This upset the scribes as they knew only God can forgive sins.
Jesus knows what its going through their minds and hearts and so he heals the
man to show he has the power and authority to forgive sins. This helps us to
understand that Jesus was God’s son.
Journey
through the Bible
Journey through
the Bible will provide five readings each week you can use in order to get a
good overview of the full sweep of the story of God and His people. There are a
variety of ways you might use these readings. As a parent you might read them
to get a better understanding of how the divine drama unfolds. You could read
them to your children and discuss them. Some are longer than others and might
need to be broken up. It is important that you read them first as some readings
you may feel need to be read in a children’s version of the Bible.
1 Kings 3.1-15 Solomon’s pray for wisdom
1 Kings 3.16-28 Solomon’s
wisdom
1 Kings 8.1-21 Solomon’s temple
I Kings 9.1-19 The Lord appears to Solomon
2 Kings 25.1-21 The fall of Judah
Prayer and Celebration
12 Types of Prayer
In his book ‘The hour that changes the world’, Dick
Eastman outlines twelve different types of prayer . In this miniseries explore
the many different types of prayer with your children.
Contemplation
This type of prayer revolves around thinking and
reflecting deeply either on a piece of scripture or on something to do with
God. With children this might mean taking a particular story or passage of scripture
and encouraging them to think for a moment on a theme coming from the passage,
such as God’s love for us or the wonder of creation. There are many short
stories written on different themes that might help children think more deeply
about scripture and these can be helpful in developing the prayer of
contemplation.
Family
Time
Build
a Fort Night
With your family make a fort in your
house big enough for your whole family to sit in. This can be done by hanging
and draping blankets and sheets over
chairs and dining room tables and whatever else is around. Try to build the
biggest fort you can. Eat dinner in it together and play some games. Read Psalm
46.1-3 together and have a discussion about what it means for God to be your
fortress and shelter.
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