JOY
Choosing to celebrate what God is doing.
WEEK 1
We start the month with Luke 15:1-7,
where we find Jesus telling a parable about a shepherd who goes to find his
lost sheep. Jesus explains that the shepherd cares so much about the missing
sheep that he leaves the other 99 sheep to go look for it. After the shepherd
finds his sheep, he invites his friends to help him celebrate!
Bottom Line: We can have joy because
of Jesus. In Jesus’ story, the shepherd is full of joy when he finds his
lost sheep. He rejoices with his friends. When we recognize that we are like
the lost sheep, we can have joy because we know that God sent Jesus to rescue
us! And this joy isn’t just something we keep to ourselves. We can share the
good news about Jesus and celebrate when others put their faith in Him too.
WEEK 2
In week 2, we see how God set aside
times and rhythms for the Israelite people to reflect on and remember
everything God had done for them. In Deuteronomy 16:13-17, we read about
one celebration in particular called the Feast of Booths. We see in Scripture
how God’s people celebrated this feast on several important occasions
throughout their history.
Bottom Line: Make a habit of
choosing joy. Whether it’s a birthday party, slumber party, or festive
holiday, kids love celebrating with their family and friends! Just as those
celebrations are a part of our everyday rhythm, we hope that kids will learn
how to find moments of celebration throughout their lives that will help them
remember what God has done for them.
WEEK 3
For week 3, we head to Ezra 3:10-13.
At the time, God’s people were living as captives in Persia, when the new king,
Cyrus, allowed them to return home to Jerusalem. However, when they returned,
everything was broken down and destroyed. The people got to work rebuilding the
temple . . . but before they got far, they stopped to worship God and celebrate
the ways that God had helped them.
Bottom Line: Celebrate each step of
the way. Some tasks seem to take longer to complete than others. Whether
kids are learning how to ride a bike, bake a cake, solve a math problem, or
talk to new people, they learn that each step is important. The same thing is
true about our relationship with God. We can choose to trust God and find joy,
even when we can’t see the whole picture. We can celebrate how God is working
in our lives with every step we take.
WEEK 4
In week 4, we take a look at some of
David’s Psalms—specifically, Psalms 8, 16, and 19. David wrote a lot
about the things he observed in nature and the world around him that God had
created. Through creation, we notice how God is at work—even if sometimes we
struggle to see God’s work in our own lives. Joy is all around us. We just have
to look.
Bottom Line: Find joy in what you
see around you. God has given us the amazing ability to use our senses so
we can find joy through the beauty of God’s creation. When kids tap into these
senses, they can discover God in a whole new way. Even if not all of our senses
work perfectly, we can find ways to see how God is at work in the world around
us.
WEEK 5
We finish the month in Habakkuk
3:17-18. Habakkuk wrote these words as God’s people were about to be taken
captive. Everything was going wrong in Habakkuk’s world . . . but still, he
chose to trust God and choose joy. Habakkuk ultimately found joy because of
God’s faithfulness and love that nothing could take away.
Bottom Line: There’s
always a reason to celebrate. Even when we face tough challenges in life,
we can celebrate because we know that God sent Jesus to be our Savior. That
doesn’t make our current troubles any less difficult. But it does mean that we
can find peace and joy in the midst of them. We can find joy in knowing that
God is ALWAYS up to something good—even when we can’t see it.
