Tonight we met with friends for family worship. Family worship begins with our:-" friend Randy playing worship songs on the guitar. Joshua was SO EXCITED when we told him that Randy would be coming with his guitar tonight. He loves, loves, loves, guitars AND Randy lets Joshua touch/play his beautiful guitar, so Joshua loves family worship nights! Mommy and daddy love family worship nights, too. Tonight there were 8 kids and 3 adults squished on our big sectional along with another 7 kids and 4 adults on folding chairs and the sound of those 15 children singing filled my soul. It was beautiful.
After worship songs, we do a family activity. These are simple, but they (hopefully) contain a powerful message.
Tonight we began by sharing one thing we are scared of with the members of our family. In our household we fear things like snakes, bad guys, Santa, not being able to pay for the things we need, etc... Some of us had an easier time than others thinking of things (or at least admitting to the things) we fear. However, we ALL have some fears.
Then each family was given an empty water bottle that DID NOT have a cover. Starting with the youngest member of the family, we took turns denting, twisting, and crushing the water bottle. With very little effort, the water bottle soon looked like this:
We then talked about how FEAR can crush us as well. Fear can control us. It can shape us. It can determine our path to a large extent.At that point each family received a list of Bible verses about fear. We read through them as a family. Then we each chose a verse that spoke to us, something that caused us to feel safer, more confident, more protected when faced with fear.
Some the verses that our family was inspired/comforted/encouraged by include:
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are with me. Your rod and Your staff they comfort me"
Psalm 23:4
"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong."
1 Corinthians 16:13
"He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday."
Psalm 91:4-6
"I sought the Lord, and He answered me; he delivered me from all my fears."
Psalm 34:4
We each wrote the verse that spoke to us on a 4X6 index card so we could carry it with us, tack it to the bathroom mirror, or slip it under the visor of our car as a reminder that we do not need to fear! When we ask, we are covered by His grace, His protection, and His peace.
We used another empty water bottle to demonstrate, but this time it was FIRMLY capped. When we tried to twist, crush, and dent the bottle that was covered, it stood firm.
When we cover our lives with Jesus, when we stand under the shelter of His protection FEAR need not cripple us. For we are SAFE IN HIS ARMS.We ended by praying these words of scripture over each member of our family:
" God did not give you ________
a spirit of fear and timidity, but of
POWER, LOVE, and SELF-CONTROL."
2 Timothy 1:7
It is a beautiful moment when your children lay hands on you and pray these words over you. To hear Joshua repeat these words over his Daddy was a moment etched in my heart forever.
If you have never done devotions as a family (an area which we are growing in as well), I just made your first one really easy!
Praying we choose to rest in the His grace this week.
