I've been wondering how to explain a few key concepts to my little ones. Lesson 13 to 18 has to do with concepts that are crucial in understanding God's Plan and Purpose. I'm journeying with little ones who do not always want to listen to a history lesson. I am however always surprised when they grasp a difficult spiritual concept, and by their questions that pop up. I've noticed that their spirit sometimes far outrun their emotional and intellectual capacity. So I'm going to give it a try. I'm reminded that by living together, journeying together, our children will taste of the Spirit. As we, Moms and Dads, live out the truth, our children will see, hear, and experience what we so long for them to understand with their minds. I would like to make a friendly suggestion as you read the next five lesson plans: focus on planting a seed in your child with your words. As they grow they will keep on asking, they will sometimes ask you a wild spiritual question while you're driving along in the car, long after you stirred their hearts. Read through the Bible references and give them context. Focus on conversation rather than a bible study program.
You will hear that nudge when the time is right and their spirits push forward: it always reminds me of when seedling sprouts, pushing up towards the sun.
* note: the content of the following teaching is not my own, it is taken from excellent teaching by Gavin Porter from a series called God's Vision God's Mission. You can access the full teaching on YouTube by following this link: Dust and Stars
Scripture Reference:
Genesis 12: 1-3
Now the Lord had said to Abram:
"Get out of your country; From your family, and from your father's house to a land that I will show you, I will make you a great nation, I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
Reading Guide for Mom and Dad:
When the Nations were scattered in Genesis 11 God chooses one man from among the Nations. He chooses Abram. He says to Abram: I'm going to make you into a great nation and I'm going to bless you. I'm going to make your name famous. In you, all the nations will be blessed.
When God chooses Abram, He doesn't choose him because he is better than anybody else, God chooses Abram so that he can be a blessing to everybody else.
This is the way God chooses. When He chose Israel, He didn't choose them so that they could be a better nation than the other nations. He chose Israel so that they could be a blessing to all the other nations.
It is the same today - when God chooses us, it is so that His grace can flow through us and so that we can be a blessing to others.
God gave Abraham a promise in Genesis 12 and He adds to the promise and oath in Genesis 22. Together we can refer to it as the agreement God made with Abraham. Let's look at the oath:
Genesis 22:15
Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven and said; "By Myself, I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, - "blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore, and your descendants(seed) shall possess the gate of the enemies. In your seed, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."
In the Old Testament, an agreement is called a covenant. The word covenant means "to cut".
There are different types of covenants, let's look at two types:
firstly an agreement between two parties where only one of the parties needs to be present. This is where one party makes an agreement and the other party benefits. An example of this will be a last will and testament. The person going to the lawyer makes an agreement but somebody else will be the heir/beneficiary. The heir will benefit from that agreement. They don't even have to be there when the agreement is made.
Another agreement is one between two parties where both of them are present. This is like a marriage covenant between a husband and a wife.
The word covenant and the word testament is the same word in the original context. It has the same meaning. They both come from the root word: "to cut".
The agreement that God made with Abraham in Genesis 15-22 I will refer to as "The Testament".
Gen 15:8-17
And he said, "Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it?" So He said to him, "Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon." Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him...And it came to pass when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces."
Abraham is sleeping and the smoking furnace(The Father) and the burning lamp(The Son) move between the pieces of animal on the ground and God makes an agreement with Himself. Abraham did not walk between the pieces, so Abraham is not part of this agreement. It is not a two-sided agreement it is a one-sided agreement. God is making the agreement and He is saying to Abraham: you and your seed are going to benefit from the agreement - but you can't do anything to break this agreement.
Abraham is only the beneficiary.
There is nothing Abraham can do to get the promises and there is nothing he cannot do to not get it. This is a picture of GRACE. It is not a picture of doing anything but it is a picture of being. To claim any inheritance a person only needs to prove that he/she is the heir. You have to be somebody. There is no need to work for an inheritance.
Genesis 17:1
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless (King James translates it as: "be perfect")
Just as Enoch and Noah were walking with God, God says to Abraham walk before me and be perfect. God gave the promise to Abraham when he was 75 years old. Now 24 years later, Abraham doesn't have the fulfillment of the promise yet - he is now 99 years old. His name here is still Abram. Abram means "Exalted Father". Now it is changed to Abraham which means "Father of a multitude".
Abraham comes out from among the nations and God has to help him: to walk in God's way, to hear God's voice, and to walk with Him. God will always lead us towards His Vision for us.
Conversation Starters with the little ones:
Read the history of Abraham with your children. Take your time over the course of two weeks and make it fun. Explain to them what a "Last Will and Testament" is. Focus on the concept of a beneficiary: he/she does not need to work for the inheritance. He/she only needs to be the heir. No working for their inheritance!
Think of creative ways to learn Bible History with them:
We found a wonderful game called: "Voetspore van Israel". It's a board game that uses the route Israel took from Egypt to the Promised land through the Wilderness. The questions are about the history of Israel. They are learning without even knowing it!
Why not dramatize some of the stories you are reading about? Dress up and make it fun!
We sometimes play a game where we divide into teams, each teammate gets a turn to act out a bible story, without using words or sounds. The other teammate then has to guess what story they are dramatizing. It's a full proof plan to get everyone laughing!
Teach them to Rule and Multiply:
While playing games and learning together we focus on unity rather than winning. Boardgames are full of competition and (sometimes) shouting! It is important that during these times we gently guide our little ones to come to the realization that we are playing together. We are experiencing each other. Rather than winning, the focus shifts to love and quality time shared with someone that is important to you.
Take out their favorite snacks, get a cup of tea for yourself, and enjoy those little faces. God loves them even more!
Kettle Prayer suggestions:
Lord Jesus, thank you for Your foolproof Plan and Purpose. Thank you for your Grace. Teach my children to be Yours and keep them from striving for the approval of man. Let them be filled with the knowledge of who they are in You. I speak over them that they are sons and daughters of the King! Amen
You are welcome to download this visual aid for your own personal use:
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