A Broken Relationship Restored
Drag out the bikes and outside toys and scrub off the dirt and grime. Repair anything that needs fixing.
Ask your children the following questions:
Do you know what it means to restore something? (To bring it back to its original condition)
How did we restore the look of the bikes? (We washed off the dirt, shined them up, and repaired the broken parts, etc.)
Can you think of something else that might be restored? (An old car can be restored to its former condition; A piece of furniture can be fixed to look new again; A broken toy can be fixed, etc.)
Sometimes even relationships between people are broken and need to be restored. In the story of the lost son, how was the relationship between the father and the son broken? (The son left home and went his own way; The son wanted his own way, etc.) How was the relationship restored? (The son went home to his father and asked for forgiveness; The son repented, etc.)
Sin breaks our relationship with God. When Adam and Eve chose their own way over God’s way, sin began on the earth. Because of that first sin, everyone is born with a desire to sin. We want our own way instead of God’s way. Our sin separates us from God. But Jesus came to the earth and died on the cross so we could have our sins forgiven. By believing in what Jesus did, our relationship with God can be restored.
Our Comforter
Items Needed:
Two bags, stuffed animal, blanket, pacifier, picture of parents, Bible, picture or drawing of praying hands
Place the Bible and the praying hands in one bag and all the other items in the other bag. Pull out the comfort items one at a time and talk to your children about how they are a comfort to us. Then pull out the items in the other bag one at a time and discuss how prayer and God’s Word bring us comfort.
After you pull out the praying hands, read John 14:27 and Philippians 4:6-7 to your children. Remind them that talking to God in prayer brings peace to our broken hearts. When you pull the Bible out of the bag, read 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and Psalm 119:130 and discuss how God’s Word helps us when we have a broken heart.
Can You Hear Me?
Turn on some music to create background noise. Sit close together in a circle on the floor. Whisper We are not alone into the ear of the person next to you. That person will pass the message in a whisper to the next person, and this will continue until the last person receives the message. The last person will announce the message out loud.
Talk to your children about how it was a hard to hear the message. Discuss the obstacles and how the message changed from the original statement.
Remind your children that we can talk to God in prayer anytime and anywhere. Emphasize that God never has trouble hearing us. He hears our prayers, brings peace to our broken heart, and is always with us.
You might want to play the game again just for fun!