Sunday Scripture Sharing - Family Devotional #2

To see the 1st Family Devotional click here, but this devotional stands alone and does not have to build on last week. So, feel free to jump right in with your family!

Today's topic is:

Allowing God to build our house

Introduction
How do you build a house? (let kids answer) What steps do you have to do? (let kids answer) Have you ever heard of a blueprint? (if kids do not know what this is, explain it to them) What would happen if you tried to build a house without a blueprint? (let kids answer)

Activity (need several square or rectangle crackers, cream cheese-we like the strawberry kind)
Have the kids build a house out of the crackers, using the cream cheese as the "glue". They can even eat it when they are through!

Scripture
Psalm 127:1a, "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it"

Matthew 7:24-27, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock. And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not act upon them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall."

Discussion
This means if you do something without God, there is no use, it is going to fail. How can we make sure that God is at the center of everything we do? (let children answer; then provide your suggestions -- pray about everything, ask for God's help, and listen for God's answers before doing things our own way). This is what it means to build upon the rock; God is the rock. He should be the blueprint for everything you do and then you are the worker. Briefly tell the story of the tower of Babel (read Gen. 11 if you do not know this story). The people worked without God at the center and He did not allow them to finish. (Now, tell a personal story of how you, the parent, seek God's will, guidance, and help in your life. We will tell our children about how we prayed for each of them before they were even in mommy's tummy and sought God's timing about when they would be born. Also, we will share how we try to ask God at the beginning of each day to show us what He wants us to do.) Wrap up by asking what will happen to my house if I built it without God. (Hold up the house you made. When the children say, "it will fall", then help your house collapse.)

Prayer
Dear God, help us make you the center of all we do. Thank you for wanting to help us! Amen.