Tell God your troubles
Children's Activity
Object:
Have you ever been pestered? It's annoying, isn't it? It's frustrating to have someone bothering you over and over about the same thing. That's what the judge felt like in today's reading. It didn't matter whether or not the woman coming to him had a legitimate complaint. The judge was too busy to be bothered by her, so he sent her away. She kept coming back, though. She bothered him until he granted her justice.
God isn't like that. Not only is he quick to hear our prayer, he is eager to hear it. He is waiting and hoping that we will pray to him and tell him our needs. There are a couple of very important lessons we can learn from today's reading. One involves how we should be with God, and the other involves how we should be with others.
First, God loves us and wants to hear our prayers. Children may not believe that their prayers really matter. They think the world is so much bigger than they are -- how could their tiny prayer be of interest to God? Pray together with your children each night. Remind yourself and your children that prayers can and do make a difference. God made us and wants to know what we have to say. And, if we listen very carefully, we may begin to recognize his voice when he answers us.
Second, we should think of the times that we have felt pestered. Are we like the judge? Do we send people away when they bother us? Maybe we could try a little harder to be patient, especially with our children. We all need to know we are respected. We all want to be heard. Try and recognize the times in your life when you've had trouble respecting and hearing what others have to say. Pray and ask God to give you a little of his patience.
God isn't like that. Not only is he quick to hear our prayer, he is eager to hear it. He is waiting and hoping that we will pray to him and tell him our needs. There are a couple of very important lessons we can learn from today's reading. One involves how we should be with God, and the other involves how we should be with others.
First, God loves us and wants to hear our prayers. Children may not believe that their prayers really matter. They think the world is so much bigger than they are -- how could their tiny prayer be of interest to God? Pray together with your children each night. Remind yourself and your children that prayers can and do make a difference. God made us and wants to know what we have to say. And, if we listen very carefully, we may begin to recognize his voice when he answers us.
Second, we should think of the times that we have felt pestered. Are we like the judge? Do we send people away when they bother us? Maybe we could try a little harder to be patient, especially with our children. We all need to know we are respected. We all want to be heard. Try and recognize the times in your life when you've had trouble respecting and hearing what others have to say. Pray and ask God to give you a little of his patience.
