Weekly Inspiration
In family life, love is the oil that
eases friction, the cement that binds closer together, and the music that
brings harmony.
-- Eva Burrows
Family Closeness
Game:
Cup and Ball
Scrunch up a
piece of aluminium foil into a nice ball. Tie one end of a forty centimetre
piece of string around the foil ball. Tie the other end to a cup with a handle.
Any cup can be used but plastic ones are best. Hold the cup by the hand and
swing the ball up so that it goes into the air. Try to catch the ball inside
the cup.
Sharing:
Questions for
stimulating discussion in your family.
- Are you more like a hundred metre sprinter or a marathon runner?
- What hobby or sport would you like to try?
- What makes you angry?
With your family read: John 2.13-20
Questions
for Discussion:
- What did Jesus do in the temple?
- Is this something you would expect Jesus to do?
- Why do you think he was so upset?
- What proof did Jesus say he would give that he had the authority to do all he did?
- Is it ok to be angry at some things?
About
the Bible Bit
Jesus was deeply
upset by the what he found in the temple courts. Instead of being a place where
people could connect with God it had become a place where people made money and
some people were excluded. The authorities want to know what proof Jesus had to
do these things. He makes a reference to destroying the temple and rebuilding
it. This astounds his hearers, but what is more astounding is that he is
referring to the resurrection of his body.
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.
Daniel 6.1-28 Daniel in the lion den
Jonah 1 The story of Jonah
Jonah 2 Jonah’s prayer
Jonah 3 Jonah goes to Nineveh
Jonah 4 Jonah’s anger
Prayer and Celebration
Ways to say “I forgive”
At the top of a piece of paper write the words “I
forgive you.” Ask “what did God do to show He forgives us?” Then encourage your
family to list as many ways as they can which show forgiveness to others. The
list may include words and actions. Suggestions of words might be, “That’s ok.”
“Its all right.” Suggestions of actions might be hugs, smiles, and handshakes.
Burning Prayers
Your family might like to individually write down
things they would like to say sorry for. These prayers might then be placed in
a bowl and burnt as a symbol of God’s forgiveness.
Family
Time
The Cross Shaped Window
You may be familiar with the segment on Play School
where children are invited to travel through the square, circle, arched or
diamond window. On the other side are some children doing something
interesting. Using cardboard and some coloured cellophane make a cross shaped
window. Tell your children that when we look through the cross shaped window we
might see the kind of world God would like us to live in. Invite your children to draw some pictures
to put behind the window. What might God’s kind of world look like? What would
people be doing? How might they be treating one another? Find some pictures in
magazines that show what the kingdom of God might be like. (Maybe pictures of
people caring for one another, seeking peace, helping one another).
(This material is based on and draws from earlier Faithful Families emails by Stephen Harrison & Richard Browning: An Unless Ideas Production.) Unless otherwise noted all material on this blog is copyright Stephen Harrison and Richard Browning
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