Family Worship & Devotion Week Five

“We read the promise that God makes everything beautiful in its time, and we look at the unresolved sorrows and hurts our lives and the lives of others. And we begin to worry that the Bible cannot be trusted. We forget that we are receiving instruction from One whose perspective is not incrementally greater than ours, but infinitely greater. On a spiritual-insight scale from zero to God, we would be pathologically prideful to rate ourselves at kindergarten level. We must be either surprised not discouraged to find that we, who are of yesterday and know nothing, are at a loss to comprehend the timing of the One who transcends yesterday, today, and tomorrow. 

We cannot expect to understand our own history or collective human history on this side of glory, but we can trust our yesterday, today, and tomorrow to the One who was, and is, and is to come.” 

— Jen Wilkin, None Like Him

The above quote is taken from Jen Wilkin’s book, None Like Him, that we as a covenant people at Doxa are reading alongside the Attributes of God sermon campaign. Along with the sermons and Doxa Communities, this is one opportunity for the spiritual formation of adults throughout the week. It is our prayer that these opportunities help adults behold, obey and be transformed by the gospel. Specifically for parents, we are praying that these opportunities would equip you for discipleship moments within the home. 

If you need a copy of Jen Wilkin’s book, or The Jesus Storybook Bible, please let us know! We would also love to help you get connected with a Doxa Community or assist in any other way we can.

YOUNGER KIDS

Explaining that God is outside of time, eternal, is a hard concept for even adults to grasp. We cannot fully understand or appreciate that God is outside of time and space because, while we might long for timelessness, we are bound by time. The story, “Operation No More Tears!” from the Jesus Storybook Bible, is an opportunity to discuss with kids that God created us out of an abundance of life, but knew that we were going to sin. Because he loved us and knew that, he already had a plan to rescue us, from the very beginning of time. 

The prophecy read about in Isaiah (and this story) is fulfilled when God sends his son, Jesus, who lives a perfect life and because of that can be a sacrifice for our sins— past, present, and future, unbound by time. 

Jesus Storybook Bible

Operation No More Tears!

Page 144

Prayer

God, thank you that you don’t need anything but that you provide for all that we need. Amen!

OLDER KIDS

FAMILY WORSHIP & DEVOTION

QUESTION

What does it mean for us that God is eternal?

ANSWER

You and I are limited by time, but God is not. We have a beginning and an end, and each day only allows us a certain amount of time to do things. 

Every moment we are given is a gift from God, which should impact how we are choosing to spend every moment. We should work and rest as a reflection of knowing that each moment is a gift. 

Trusting that God has given us each moment means that we can work hard, rest well, and live in the present moment (not worrying about the future or dwelling on the past) because God has allowed us to be in the exact moment we are in and He provides us with everything we need. 

SCRIPTURE

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, he Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.” Isaiah 40:8

PRAYER

God, thank you for providing for all of our needs, including our greatest need for salvation. Amen!