 |
| It [is] only the beginning of the real story - The Last Battle |
Ornament: Crown or lion and lambScripture Readings:
Isaiah 11:1-10
Matthew 28:1-20
Revelation
Revelation 21:1-22:6
Verse: Revelation 21:3
Christmas Song: Joy to the World
Hymn: Holy Holy Holy
The Big Picture Story Bible: The Very Good Ending (437-453)
The Jesus Storybook Bible: God's Wonderful Surprise (310-317) and A Dream of Heaven (342-351)
The Biggest Story: Chapter 9 (108-117) and Chapter 10 (120-125)
The Ology: Jesus' Resurrection Defeated Death (120-123) and The Special Place Where God Lives with His People (217-219)
The Gospel Story Bible: At the Throne Worshipping (312-313)
*I also read the resurrection story to my children today
We cover a lot of ground today. Jesus is alive! He has defeated sin and death and left us with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Now we wait - eagerly and with hope. We are to persevere when trials and persecution comes. We are to encourage one another to remember that Jesus will keep His promise - He WILL come. God has always kept His promises, and He always will.
Just as we began with the very good beginning, we now await the very good ending. My little boy loves this story. He asks to read it every day. He looks outside and asks, "Mommy, is today the day? Is Jesus coming today? Will we hear the trumpet today? God keeps His promises Mommy, and He promised He would come." If only I was as eager and attentive to waiting for Jesus and remembering His promises!
Today marks the end of the Advent journey with my children this year. After today, we will take down the ornaments we made one by one and talk about each story and God's promises. And we will place everything carefully in a box with our other decorations to await next year. But even though our tree will be hidden in a box, we will still continue to remember the people and places God has used throughout history. We will continue to look forward and wait for the very good ending to the greatest story - the story that belongs to us! We will long to see our Snake Crusher, our Redeemer, our King! And He will dwell with us, finally and forever!
As we continue to live in a world full of sin and sadness, we can wait with certainty that Jesus will come again and will make all things new. This promise is dear to believers, particularly during suffering. Most of us know people who are suffering greatly. There is nothing more beautiful than seeing someone believe the promises of God to be true. There are many in my life at the moment who are suffering and nearing physical death. This is hard and awful. But there will one day be no more pain or death or sorrow. One of the habits I started last year was to read/memorize/quote the end of Revelation to my children each day. I think often, we can lose perspective on this earth and settle into our comfort - until something like sickness, cancer, or death comes - we then jerk out of our comfort and cling to God. Let us teach our children to have an eternal focus every day, so that WHEN trials and suffering come, they will be ready.
The last page in the last chapter of The Last Battle (by C.S. Lewis) puts everything so beautifully when Aslan, the great lion speaks:
"'The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning.' And as He spoke He no longer looked to them as a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which every chapter is better than the one before" (210-211).
I write today in honor of a dear friend who is nearing the end of her journey with cancer. She will leave behind two young girls and a loving husband. She has steadfastly trusted the promises of God and His plans, even when it turns out that His ways are vastly different than what we hoped and planned. She has shown me Jesus. She has shouted through her life what it means to trust and believe the promises of God ... she has trusted Him more than what her eyes can see.
The best thing for us (for her), is that we are not merely reading stories. We are a part of God's great story. It belongs to us and to our children. "So keep waiting for him. Keep believing in him. Keep trusting that the story isn't over yet. God's promises never fail and the Promised One never disappoints" (Biggest Story 123). One day, we will see Him as He is. One day, we will be with Him. God keeps His promises - He always has and He always will. This is GRACE in all its fullness.
Merry Christmas!
Tidings and Tidbits:
Hymn: Holy Holy Holy
The Big Picture Story Bible: The Very Good Ending (437-453)
The Jesus Storybook Bible: God's Wonderful Surprise (310-317) and A Dream of Heaven (342-351)
The Biggest Story: Chapter 9 (108-117) and Chapter 10 (120-125)
The Ology: Jesus' Resurrection Defeated Death (120-123) and The Special Place Where God Lives with His People (217-219)
The Gospel Story Bible: At the Throne Worshipping (312-313)
*I also read the resurrection story to my children today
We cover a lot of ground today. Jesus is alive! He has defeated sin and death and left us with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Now we wait - eagerly and with hope. We are to persevere when trials and persecution comes. We are to encourage one another to remember that Jesus will keep His promise - He WILL come. God has always kept His promises, and He always will.
Just as we began with the very good beginning, we now await the very good ending. My little boy loves this story. He asks to read it every day. He looks outside and asks, "Mommy, is today the day? Is Jesus coming today? Will we hear the trumpet today? God keeps His promises Mommy, and He promised He would come." If only I was as eager and attentive to waiting for Jesus and remembering His promises!
Today marks the end of the Advent journey with my children this year. After today, we will take down the ornaments we made one by one and talk about each story and God's promises. And we will place everything carefully in a box with our other decorations to await next year. But even though our tree will be hidden in a box, we will still continue to remember the people and places God has used throughout history. We will continue to look forward and wait for the very good ending to the greatest story - the story that belongs to us! We will long to see our Snake Crusher, our Redeemer, our King! And He will dwell with us, finally and forever!
As we continue to live in a world full of sin and sadness, we can wait with certainty that Jesus will come again and will make all things new. This promise is dear to believers, particularly during suffering. Most of us know people who are suffering greatly. There is nothing more beautiful than seeing someone believe the promises of God to be true. There are many in my life at the moment who are suffering and nearing physical death. This is hard and awful. But there will one day be no more pain or death or sorrow. One of the habits I started last year was to read/memorize/quote the end of Revelation to my children each day. I think often, we can lose perspective on this earth and settle into our comfort - until something like sickness, cancer, or death comes - we then jerk out of our comfort and cling to God. Let us teach our children to have an eternal focus every day, so that WHEN trials and suffering come, they will be ready.
The last page in the last chapter of The Last Battle (by C.S. Lewis) puts everything so beautifully when Aslan, the great lion speaks:
"'The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning.' And as He spoke He no longer looked to them as a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which every chapter is better than the one before" (210-211).
The best thing for us (for her), is that we are not merely reading stories. We are a part of God's great story. It belongs to us and to our children. "So keep waiting for him. Keep believing in him. Keep trusting that the story isn't over yet. God's promises never fail and the Promised One never disappoints" (Biggest Story 123). One day, we will see Him as He is. One day, we will be with Him. God keeps His promises - He always has and He always will. This is GRACE in all its fullness.
Merry Christmas!
Tidings and Tidbits:
- For additional reading: Acts 1-2; Revelation 4-5
- Christ is Risen, He is Risen Indeed is something my children love to sing!
- Here is another favorite on the subject of resurrection
Resource Corner
Here is a link to some helpful questions for the new year if you like to have goals. I have gone through these questions several years now and find them very helpful.
For the new year, I hope you get a hymnal for your home. The one above is on the resource list. It now comes with cd's and piano arrangements. The reasons I think this is a great hymnal for families is:
- The philosophy is amazing (just read the Preface)
- You can download it to have digitally wherever you go
- Divided and organized according to church calendar
- Stories behind the poets and composers
- Excellent art to look at
- Scripture to go with each hymn
- Simple melody
- Things to think about as you sing each hymn
- Psalms for worship
This is so well laid out for family worship. I use it in the mornings after our Bible story time when we have our hymn/song time. Here is what I do for song time:
Sing a song that has to do with our Bible story.
Let each of the children pick a song (so that makes 3, unless they also want to pick for the baby)
New song
Favorite song or two... or three or four
We sometimes clap or do motions to engage the children. Even if they don't sing, I promise they are learning the songs. It is so important to be faithful. You can obviously also sing throughout the day or listen them in the car. I just want to make sure we have a dedicated time each day to sing to the Lord!
I hope that teaching your children truths in song is something that you will commit to do this year!
NEW SONG - for the new song. There are a few things you could do.
- I know some families choose to sing one hymn each day (basically just sing their way through a hymnal). I think this is a great idea.
- I try to pick 1-2 hymns each week. The way the hymnal above is laid out, that means I can make it through the hymnal in a year introducing 1-2 each week. At this point (my children are 5,3,1,0), I have only done the first verse of most of these hymns. I would do only one new hymn each week if I did all the verses.
- Another thing you could do is see if you can get your church bulletin or song list early so you can practice with your children. This way, they can participate in the service with you.
Whatever you choose to do, pray that God would help you focus on the truths of the songs and that your children would see the Gospel. I don't put a time limit on our singing time. Some days, my children want to sing many songs - I don't stop them. I want them to love singing to the Lord. Some days, it is a struggle, but I still sing. I want them to see and hear their mom singing to the Lord on good days and bad days... when I feel like it and when I don't - because God is WORTHY of our praise. This shouldn't take any preparation or much organization. Just pick up a hymnal in your home or order one and commit to sing with your child/family each day! Start small and be joyful!
No comments:
Post a Comment