Which Way Should We Go?
Items Needed: Vehicle, GPS
Gather everyone for a short drive. Put in a destination (ice cream shop, park, etc.) in the GPS. Inform your family of your destination by saying, “Let’s go to the __.” However, instead of following the directions on your GPS, turn the opposite way and listen to how the GPS “corrects” you. Continue making wrong turns—often. Finally, admit you should listen to the GPS and follow its instructions.
Ask:
What is the purpose of the GPS? (To guide us in the right way; to help us get where we want to go; etc.)
What did the GPS do when I went the wrong way? (It told us we were going the wrong way; it offered a different route; etc.)
How do the Bible and the Holy Spirit help us? (They tell us the right way to go; correct us; teach us; guide us; show us how to live, etc.)
What must we do? (We must pay attention and follow the Bible’s instructions; we must listen to the Holy Spirit and obey; etc.)
Read these faith statements to your children, then allow your children to fill in the blanks as you pause in your second reading.
I will believe what God has said is true.
I will focus on God and what He can do.
I will trust in Jesus’ death to save me from sin.
I will follow the Holy Spirit who will help me obey Him.
You Have a Purpose!
Items Needed: Assortment of objects (kitchen utensils, bathroom items— toothbrush or washcloth, household items—broom or dustpan, etc.)
Lay all the items on a table and invite the children to sort them into categories.
Ask them to explain the chosen categories.
One way to sort the objects is by their purpose. We might put a potato masher and a spatula in one category because we use them to help us cook. We could put a toothbrush and a washcloth in another category because they help us keep clean.
Just as each item is set apart for a specific purpose, God’s rules in the Bible also have a purpose.
What is the purpose of the Bible? (to teach us, correct us, guide us, help us know how to live, help us know right and wrong, etc.)
When we read and obey the Bible and listen to and obey the Holy Spirit, we are fulfilling our purpose to seek and follow God.
What’s the Purpose?
Items Needed: Kitchen items, dishtowel
As you are cooking dinner, choose some kitchen items your children might not recognize (potato masher; melon baller; garlic press; apple corer; etc.) and play a game to see how many they can identify. To add to the mystery, put them under a dishtowel and uncover each item one at a time.
Each item has a specific purpose. God’s rules have a purpose too. God’s Law helps us make right choices, stay away from sin, and teaches us about our need for Jesus—the only way to be right with God.