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» Restoration
1
What Should I Do When I Sin?
Kids using the D6 curriculum learned how God kept His promise and brought His people back from exile in Babylon to their homeland. What a great day when God turned their sadness to joy! They sinned and went away from God, but He forgave them and helped them return.
Tell about a time when you sinned (even sharing the consequences you suffered if it is appropriate). Share how God forgave you and helped you. Everyone sins and kids need to learn what to do when they sin. Read 1 John 1:9
2
Let's Bake Cookies!
Gather ingredients to make cookies. Let the kids taste the individual ingredients (salt, baking soda, butter, flour, etc.) before mixing them together. Ask how each one tastes.
Mix and bake the cookies. Eat the cookies with some cold milk. Ask how they liked them.
Ask: What are some things in life that aren't good? (Sickness, sadness, hurt feelings, loneliness, etc.)
These things don't "taste " good! BUT God can take those bad things and make something good out of them (like you did with the cookies). God is so powerful He can make something good out of bad.
3
"New"
Items needed: things from the recycling bin—cereal boxes, paper towel rolls, ribbon, bottles, construction paper, etc.
Glue and scissors
Make something "new" from the salvaged items.
Read James 1:3-4
Ask:
What comes from trials? (Patience)
What is the end result? (It will make you mature and complete.)
4
We All Need a Little Car Repair
As you are driving, ask each family member:
What would you drive if you could have ANY car or truck?
Then ask:
What would happen to your car or truck if you had a wreck? (It would have to be repaired or fixed.) A good repair shop can make a wrecked car look just like new. They are able to restore cars to their original beauty.
God had to punish His chosen people, Israel, for their sin, but He never stopped loving them. They were taken away to another country, but God promised He would restore them—that He would bring them back to their home again. When He did, they were very happy! God may have to punish sin, but He wants to forgive and restore people so they can be happy again.
5
Be Creative!
Go to a local thrift store and look for something that can be restored/fixed (a toy, a lamp, a chair, a stool, etc). Bring it home and brainstorm ways that it can be restored. Can you clean it, paint it, cover it with fabric, fix it, or decorate it? Be creative. Listen to all the ideas and work on the project together.
Let it be a reminder of how God doesn't push us away when we sin, but He lovingly restores us.
6
"Fortunately, Unfortunately"
Play the game "Fortunately, Unfortunately." (Adapted from an idea in Family Fun magazine) This is a good game to play in the car.
Let the first person start out by telling something good—“Fortunately, I found a little dog on our doorstep." Then the next person must continue by adding something bad—“Unfortunately, the dog belonged to a 7 foot troll who thought I stole his dog." Then the next person must continue by starting with "Fortunately . . ." End the story on a "Fortunately!" (The story can be as elaborate or crazy as you like.)
Remind the kids that God loves to turn things out for our good, even bad things.
7
Once Upon A Time...
Choose a familiar fairy tale or story (Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, etc.) and ask each family member to come up with a different ending to the story. Tell the story and then let each one share their "ending."
Ask:
When Job had all his trouble, he did not know how the story would end. Do you think his story ended well? (Read Job 42:10-17 to refresh your memories.)
Job may have wanted to rewrite his story, but God was in control all along. God restored to Job more than he lost. We may not understand why things happen to us, but we can trust that God is in control and will bring good out of it.
8
Chores and Rewards
Items needed: slips of paper
2 jars or bags
Rewards (can be treats, such as candy, small toys, or privileges)
Make two lists—a chore/job list and a reward list. Write a different chore on a slip of paper (enough for each member of the family to have one) and put the pieces of paper in a jar or bag. Write a different reward (stay up 30 minutes later at bedtime, choose a game to play, pick the dinner menu, choose a snack at the store, etc.) on each slip of paper and put them in jar or bag.
Gather the family and show them the two jars. Explain that each person will pick a chore and then will be able to choose a reward when it is completed.
Ask:
Was there a reward for Job's faithfulness to God? (God gave him more than he had before.)
Was there a reward for Job's faithfulness to God? (God gave him more than he had before.)
Read Colossians 3:23-24: “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”
Will there be a reward for our faithfulness to God? (Yes, sometimes right away, sometimes not so quickly, but certainly when we go to Heaven)
Just as God rewarded Job’s faithfulness, He will reward us when we do what is right.
9
Restoring the Broken
Find an item that is broken or in bad shape and restore it. Glue it, paint it, and fix it up so it is useable again. (Or just point out an item that has been restored).
Ask:
How did God restore Job? (Gave him more wealth than he had before, gave him more children, gave him health)
How did God restore Job? (Gave him more wealth than he had before, gave him more children, gave him health)
Although Job went through a terrible time, God never stopped loving Job and worked something good out of the bad that happened to him. Job trusted God to bring him through such a difficult situation.
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