Teacher s Guide. Lesson #1-9 Elisha Heals Naaman. 2 Kings 5:1-14

Transcription

1 Teacher s Guide Lesson #1-9 Elisha Heals Naaman 2 Kings 5:1-14 1

2 Gregory Rawn Jenna Gospodarek Renae Boehmer Beth Cox Victoria Hoppes Rev. Sarah Nye Ann Schwarz Rev. Anna Shirey Kara Smith-Laubenstein Anne Tews Schwab Nicholas McDougal Benjamin Borter Living the Word: Teaching Kids God s Story (Narrative Lectionary, Year 1) Text and illustrations copyright by Spirit and Truth Publishing All rights reserved. No part of this curriculum may be used or reproduced in any other manner whatsoever without written permission. For information, contact Spirit and Truth Publishing at Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 2

3 Elisha Heals Naaman 2 Kings 5: Kings 5:14 Naaman was a commander in the army of the king of Aram and was suffering from leprosy. A slave girl told Naaman about Elisha, a prophet of God, who could cure Naaman. The prophet Elisha sent Naaman to wash in the Jordan River seven times and he was cured of his leprosy. Bible Citations Fellowship After completing this lesson, students will be able to: Identify how to find addresses and verses in the Bible by using clues to find John 3:16 in the Bible. Recall key elements from the scripture story by participating in a trivia challenge. Reciprocate God s love by washing the hands of their classmates. 3

4 Activities a la Carte Activities Supplies Story Centers (PK-K) 15 min. The Doctor Is In Care for the sick. Picking Up Pick up and then wipe clear. Washing in the River Help Naaman wash in the river! Into the Story (1 st -2 nd ) Washing Yourself Clean Colored water turns clear right before our eyes! Bible Nuts and Bolts (1 st -2 nd ) Bible Citations Finding verses in the Bible is like following a map. Small dolls Medical supplies (bandages, gauze, stethoscope, thermometer) Magnets Small metal objects (paper clips, washers, nuts) Empty disposable water or soft drink bottle Individual ketchup packet (blank on one side) Water Tape or glue 5 min. Small clear cup Water Vinegar Liquid food coloring Spoon Liquid bleach Eye dropper Paper towel 10 min. Activity Sheet 1-9.A Activity Sheet 1-9.B Bible 4

5 Activities a la Carte Learning the Story (PK-2 nd ) Who? What? Where? When? Why? Students will have to listen carefully to be able to answer the 5Ws Living the Story (PK-2 nd ) Washing Together Washing another s hands can demonstrate God s love. Additional Activities Comes Out Clean (PK-2 nd ) Six Naamans come out dirty, but the last one is clean! Listen Carefully (PK-2 nd ) See what we can do by listening to others. 15 min. Bible Five bins or bags that are color coded Strips of paper coordinating with the color coded bags or bins Bag or bin Markers or crayons Activity Sheet 1-9.C 10 min. Three bowls Small watering can Sand Water Towel 10 min. Activity Sheet 1-9.D Markers or crayons Scissors String or yarn Disposable paper cups Permanent marker Tape 10 min. Nothing Student Bible Book: Elisha Heals Naaman (1 st -2 nd ) Students continue their own Bible story book! 10 min. Each student s binder Copies of Activity Sheet #1-9.E or #1-9.F A three-hole punch Pens Markers and/or crayons A sample page (See below) 5

6 Activities a la Carte Singing the Story (PK-2nd) Wash in the Jordan To the tune of Skip to My Lou. Closing Prayer 5 min. Nothing 5 min. 6

7 Background for Teachers Elisha, Prophet of God The book of 2 Kings tells many stories of the prophet Elisha. Elisha was the disciple of the great prophet Elijah. The stories of Elijah s great deeds are largely recorded in the book of 1 Kings. Elijah ascends into heaven in the second chapter of 2 Kings. Before Elijah s ascension, Elisha asks for a double portion of Elijah s spirit. Shortly thereafter, 2 Kings begins telling the stories of Elisha s wisdom, message, and the miracles that Elisha performed. Elisha is welcomed as a prophet by those who followed Elijah. They claim that Elijah s spirit rests on Elisha (2 Kings 2:15). Elisha s first miracle was to restore the quality of water in Jericho. Today s miracle, the healing of Naaman, is the sixth recorded miracle of Elisha. Bible Nuts and Bolts: Bible Citations The Bible is a compilation of books, letters, and stories written in different places in different times. These writings were all assembled into the biblical canon, or set list of books, that we use today. The original manuscripts of the Bible did not contain chapter or verse divisions. In the thirteenth century the books of the Bible were divided into the chapters that we see in our Bibles today. In the sixteenth century these chapters were further divided into verses. There are 929 chapters in the Old Testament and 260 chapters in the New Testament. There are 23,145 verses in the Old Testament and 7,957 verses in the New Testament, a total of 31,102 verses! That s a lot of Scripture to memorize! Chapter and verse divisions make it possible to have universal referencing of specific parts of the Bible. Story Themes Naaman was a commander in the army of the king of Aram and was suffering from leprosy. Naaman is recorded as being a great man, a mighty warrior, who was regarded with favor by his master. But Naaman was afflicted with leprosy, a highly contagious disease of the skin that caused large weeping sores. A slave girl told Naaman about Elisha, a prophet of God, who could cure Naaman. A young slave girl who served Naaman s wife heard about Naaman s leprosy. She was an Israelite and followed God. She knew of Elisha s power and gave a message to Naaman s wife saying Elisha would heal Naaman. The prophet Elisha sent Naaman to wash in the Jordan River seven times and he was cured of his leprosy. When Naaman arrived in Samaria and went to meet Elisha, Elisha would not come to meet him. Instead he sent his messengers to tell Naaman to wash in the Jordan River seven times. Naaman was offended that Elisha did not greet him personally, but Naaman s soldiers convinced Naaman to go to the Jordan River. After washing seven times Naaman s leprosy was healed. Spiritual Practice: Fellowship We all carry our own stories about God s presence in our lives. We are all unique in the ways that God has been made real to us. However, we are all united in faith and we can rejoice together that God provides for us all. We will work together as a class today to demonstrate how God s protection and provision affect us all. Our professions of faith will be hung in our classroom as an expression of thankfulness for God s work in our lives. 7

8 Lesson Plan Story Centers (PK-K; 15 minutes) Story Centers are mini-activities designed specifically for preschool and kindergarten students. Depending on the size of your class, you can set these up as centers for in-class rotations or do them as a whole class one after another. In most preschool and kindergarten classes, these centers along with a snack, the Learning the Story activity, and the Living the Story activity will fill the education time, but feel free to choose any activity you think would be fun and appropriate for your class. The Doctor is In Provide small dolls with various medical supplies, such as adhesive bandages, elastic bandages, gauze, a stethoscope, and/or a thermometer. Students can diagnose, treat, and care for the dolls. Picking Up Students will have the opportunity to roll magnets in a bowl of metal objects (paper clips, washers, nuts) and see that the magnet holds onto all of the objects. The students can then wipe clean the magnet and return it to its original smoothness. Washing in the River Before class create a floating body using a ketchup packet. Draw a body on the blank side of a ketchup packet with a permanent marker. Place the ketchup packet inside a disposable water or soft drink bottle and fill the bottle ¾ full of water. When the students squeeze the bottle the body will sink down the bottle, and when they release their grip the body will rise back to the top of the water. Taping or gluing the lid will prevent students from opening the bottle and spilling the water. 8

9 Into the Story (1 st -2 nd ; 5 minutes) Washing Yourself Clean Colored water turns clear right before our eyes! You will need: Small clear cup Water Vinegar Liquid food coloring Spoon Liquid bleach Eye dropper Paper towel Notes: Please use caution when using bleach. Wear eye protection Use gloves Be careful around clothing and upholstery when handling bleach. Do not allow students to handle any container that has contained bleach. During class: 1. Pour water the small cup, filling it ½ - ¾ full. Add 1 spoonful of vinegar to the water and stir. This cup is full of water. It is clean and clear. Now I am going to put some coloring into the water. Drop food color into the water, stirring to disperse the color. Use enough coloring to make the color quite visible. Now our water is no longer clear. 2. How might we be able to get this water clear again? I will show you! Using the eye dropper, carefully drop bleach into the cup. After several drops stir the water. Continue to stir in the bleach until the water becomes clear again. Now our water is clear again! 3. Let s see if we can try this again. Add food coloring into the same cup: either the same color or a different color. What do you notice when I put food coloring into the cup this time? The water doesn t turn a very bright color, does it? The second time we try this experiment the water is different and the color is not as bright. 9

10 4. Today we are going to learn about a man named Naaman who had to wash himself seven times in the same water before he came out clean! Bible Nuts and Bolts (1 st -2 nd ; 5 minutes) Bible Citations Finding verses in the Bible is like following a map. You will need: Activity Sheet 1-9.A Activity Sheet 1-9.B Bible During class: 1. Today you are going to search a map for a secret treasure. I have the map right here. Hold up Activity Sheet 1-9.A. I am going to give you clues and you are all going to help me find where the treasure is. After reading each clue have one student come forward to point out which building your clue pointed to. Put your finger on that building and read the next clue. We start our treasure hunt at the fire department. Can someone come find the fire station for me? We move next to the restaurant. Can someone come find the restaurant for me? Our next clue takes us to the grocery store. Can someone come find the grocery store for me? We are almost there! Our next clue takes us to the library. Can someone find the library for me? This is it! Our final clue tells us that the secret treasure is at the post office. Can someone find the post office for me? 2. You got to the treasure! It was in the post office! We used the map and you all followed my clues to get to the secret treasure! 3. A Bible is a lot like a map. We need to use different clues to help us find specific places in the Bible. We read a lot of verses in the Bible. Have you ever wondered how you could ever find just one verse in this big, big book? Hold up the Bible. 4. Well, let s work together to see how we can find one verse: John 3:16. Put Activity Sheet 1-9.B up for the students to look at for the remainder of the activity. The book of John is in the New Testament, which is the second half of the Bible. I have the first four books of the New Testament on this piece of paper. Can someone find the book called John? Which 10

11 number is John s Gospel? [The fourth.] Good. Now we know that John is the fourth book in the New Testament after Matthew, Mark, and Luke. 5. Use your Bible find the book of John. Hold up your Bible. I found the book of John. Now remember, we are looking for John 3:16. The number three is the chapter in the book. The chapters are represented by these numbers which are larger in size. Here is chapter one, here is chapter two, and here is chapter three. We now know that our verse we are looking for is in this chapter. 6. Let s remind ourselves of what we are looking for. We are looking for John s book - which we found. We looked for the third chapter - which we found. And now we need to find the 16th verse. To find the verses I have to look at these little tiny numbers in the writing. Show students the Bible. If necessary, walk around to the students and let them see the verse numbers. So I count until I find the 16th verse. Here is it. 7. Now I have used all of my clues from our Biblical citation: John 3:16. Now can someone come up to my Bible and read John 3:16? You can read the verse to younger students. You all did a great job helping me to follow all of our Bible clues! Learning the Story (PK-2 nd ; 15 minutes) Who? What? Where? When? Why? Students will have to listen carefully to be able to answer the 5Ws! You will need: Bible Five bins or bags that are color coded red, blue, yellow, green, orange (or any color combination of your choosing) Strips of paper coordinating with the color coded bags or bins Bag or bin Markers or crayons Activity Sheet 1-9.C Before class: 1. Create five color coded bins or bags. Write on each bag or bin one of the five questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? 2. Print out, cut apart, and color code Activity Sheet 1.9-C. Match your color coding for the questions with the colors on the bags or bins. You can easily 11

12 color code the questions by simply drawing a colored line on each question. You can also print them on colored paper or glue them to colored paper. 3. Cut several strips of the same color coded colors and place them in a bag or bin for students to reach in and grab. (This could also be done with colored marbles, stones, or similar items.) During class: 1. Last week we read a story about the prophet Elisha. A prophet is a person who works for God, delivering messages to people and performing miracles. This week we are going to read a story from the Bible about Elisha performing a miracle. What is a miracle? [Answers will vary but may include: Something that God does to heal someone. Something that God does that no one else can do. Things Jesus did.] If younger students do not know the answer to this question explain to them that miracles are extraordinary things that God does in our world that people cannot do. Jesus performed many miracles. Prophets in the Old Testament performed miracles because God chose them to do this kind of work. 2. The story of Elisha is found 2 Kings. I can use my Bible clues to help me find this Old Testament book. 2 Kings is the twelfth chapter in the Bible. Now I am going to find the fifth chapter. 3. Now I am going to read the story. I want you to listen very carefully. Read 2 Kings 5:1-4 and Repeat these selected verses if you feel it is necessary for comprehension. 4. Do you all feel ready to answer questions about this story? 5. I have five bags/bins here that are color coded for five different types of questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? Each bin contains questions about today s story. 6. You are going to take turns coming forward and reaching into this bag/bin for a colored strip. Then you are going to take a question out of the bag/bin with the same color on it. 7. I am going to read the question out loud. Begin by choosing a student and helping them to select a question. Read the question aloud. Now I want you to turn and talk to your neighbor and see if you can remember the answer to the question. If you and your neighbor think you know the answer to the question, put two thumbs up in the air. If you don t know the answer, turn to another neighbor and see if you can answer the question! 8. We will play until we run out of questions or until time permits. Give students time to talk. Prompt with hints if necessary. 12

13 Living the Story (PK-2 nd ; 10 minutes) Washing Together Washing another s hands can demonstrate God s love. You will need: Three bowls Small watering can Sand Water Towel Notes: If you do not want to use sand or if it is not convenient to bring sand into the classroom, breadcrumbs would be a good substitute. If you do not have access to a watering can you can punch holes in the bottom of a disposable water bottle. Cut off the mouth of the bottle. Students can submerge the bottle in the water to fill the bottle and use it like a watering can. During class: 1. The prophet Elisha performed many miracles in God s name. Naaman was healed from his leprosy after he washed in the Jordan River seven times. 2. Today we are going to have a chance to help wash the hand of another student. This is a time to remember how God s miracle cured Naaman. God loved Naaman. God loves each of us. And when we wash each other s hands we can help to remind our friends of God s love. 3. One at a time you are going to come forward and put one hand in this bowl of water. Then you will put that same hand in this bowl of sand. The sand will make your hand dirty. Another friend from class is going to use this watering can to clean your hand. 4. Begin by bringing forward one student. You will wash his/her hand over the third bowl. Help them to dry it on the towel and have them take your place. Bring another student forward. The first student will wash the hand of the second student. The first student will sit down and the second student will wash the hand of the third student. And so on. 13

14 5. When all students have had their hands washed: Now let s gather together. We have been cleaned by our friends in class. Now let s hold our clean hands together in a circle so we can thank each other. Let s say, Thank you for showing God s love to me!" Repeat this phrase several times. Additional Activities Come Out Clean (PK-2 nd ; 15 minutes) Six Naamans come out dirty, but the last one is clean! You will need: Activity Sheet 1-9.D Markers or crayons Scissors String or yarn Disposable paper cups Permanent marker Tape Before class: 1. Cut out the silhouettes. Each student will need seven silhouettes. To save time, cut a rectangle around the silhouettes. 2. Punch a small hole in the bottom of the paper cups, one for each student. During class: 1. Naaman washed himself seven times in the waters of the Jordan River and his leprosy was healed. Give each student six silhouettes. The students will draw frowns on the faces and draw spots on the bodies. After the students have finished these six silhouettes give them their final silhouettes. On this last silhouette they should draw a smiley face but leave the body clean. 2. Now we are going to put our seven Naamans into this cup that will represent the Jordan River. Students can color the paper cups with blue markers or paint. Older students can write Naaman was healed! on their cups. 3. Attach the seven silhouettes to the string using tape, taping the clean silhouette to the bottom of the string. Thread the end of the thread through the hole in the bottom of the cup and tape it into place. All seven silhouettes will sit inside the cup with the excess string hanging out of the top of the cup. 14

15 4. Now we can take Naaman out of the water! As we pull we see that it takes seven times for Naaman to be healed. Listening Carefully (PK-2 nd ; 10 minutes) Seeing what we can do by listening to others. You will need: Nothing During class: 1. Naaman s servants explained to Naaman that he needed to follow the directions that Elisha gave him. They said that it was important to listen to Elisha and wash himself seven times in the Jordan River. 2. We are going to practice our listening skills. Put the students in a circle. We are going to play a game called telephone. I am going to whisper a direction to one student. That student will then whisper the direction to the student next to them. The direction will be passed around the circle. The last student to hear the direction will stand up and complete the direction. Start with giving one student a direction and move around the circle, giving all students a chance to start the circle and to complete the task. Suggested Tasks Throw away a piece of trash Erase the whiteboard Push in a chair Put away crayons Give the teacher a high five Turn off the lights Shut/open the door Straighten papers 3. You all did a great job following directions. That was a silly way to follow directions! But Jesus gives us directions as well, such as loving others, praying often, and reading the Bible. These are important directions to follow! 15

16 Student Bible Book: Elisha Heals Naaman (1 st -2 nd ; 10 min.) Students create their own Bible story book! You will need: A three-ring binder for each student (See Note) Copies of Activity Sheet #1-9.E or #1-9.F on 8.5 x 11 cardstock or plain paper A three-hole punch Markers and/or crayons A sample page (See below) Before class: 1. Create a sample page using the instructions below to demonstrate to students approximately what their page could look like. During class: 1. Hand out a copy of the Student Bible book page (either the coloring sheet or the student drawing sheet) and markers/crayons to each student. 2. Show students the sample page you made before class. 3. Say: This year in class we are going to create our own Bible books of the stories we will cover. 4. Read the bottom of the activity sheet aloud, reminding students of what they learned in the lesson. 5. Have them color the provided picture or draw a picture related to today s story in the middle of the page. 6. When students are finished, have them put their names on the back and collect the pages. Three-hole punch the papers and put them in individual binders for each student. Binders are to be kept at church until the end of the year. Singing the Story (PK-2 nd ; 5 minutes) Wash in the Jordan To the tune of Skip to My Lou. Wash, wash, wash in the Jordan. Wash, wash, wash in the Jordan. Elisha said to wash in the Jordan. Naaman s skin was healed. 16

17 Closing Prayer (PK-2 nd ; 5 minutes) Prayer Before ending class, make a point to come together to pray. Use the following or say your own prayer. 17

18 Bible Citations: Map 18

19 Bible Citations: Find a Verse John 3:16 Matthew Mark Luke John 19

20 Who Questions: Who tells Naaman about the prophet Elisha? (Naaman s wife.) Who tells Naaman s wife about Elisha? (The servant girl.) Who tells Naaman to wash in the Jordan River seven times? (Elisha or Elisha s servant.) Who tells Naaman that he should follow Elisha s directions and do what Elisha s servant told him to do? (Naaman s servants.) What Questions: What did Elisha tell Naaman to do? (Wash in the Jordan River seven times.) What did Naaman do to be healed from his leprosy? (He washed in the Jordan River seven times.) What did Naaman do when his wife told him about the prophet Elisha? (Acceptable answers: Went to see Elisha, went to Samaria) When Questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? When is Naaman healed? (After washing in the Jordan River seven times.) When does Naaman get angry? (When Elisha does not come to heal him personally.) When does Naaman decide to follow Elisha s instructions? (After his servants tell him to listen to Elisha.) 20

21 Where Questions: Where does Elisha live? (Acceptable answers: Israel; Samaria.) Where does Naaman travel to for healing? (Acceptable answers: Samaria; Israel; Elisha s house.) Where is Naaman told to wash seven times? (In the Jordan River.) Where is Naaman s servant from whom he learns about Elisha? (Israel.) Why Questions: Why does Naaman want to be healed? (Because he has leprosy and having leprosy feels bad.) Why does Naaman travel to Israel? (Because that s where the prophet is who can heal him is.) Why does Naaman eventually wash himself in the Jordan River even though he didn t initially want to? (Because his servants pointed out to him how easy it was.) 21

22 Comes Out Clean 22

23 Elisha Heals Naaman 2 Kings 5:1-14 I learned that: Naaman was a commander in the army of the king of Aram and was suffering from leprosy. A slave girl told Naaman about Elisha, a prophet of God, who could cure Naaman. The prophet Elisha sent Naaman to wash in the Jordan River seven times and he was cured of his leprosy. 23

24 Elisha Heals Naaman 2 Kings 5:1-14 I learned that: Naaman was a commander in the army of the king of Aram and was suffering from leprosy. A slave girl told Naaman about Elisha, a prophet of God, who could cure Naaman. The prophet Elisha sent Naaman to wash in the Jordan River seven times and he was cured of his leprosy. 24

25 The Home Narrative Lectionary, Year 1 Elisha, Prophet of God The book of 2 Kings tells many stories of the prophet Elisha. Elisha was the disciple of the great prophet Elijah. The stories of Elijah s great deeds are largely recorded in the book of 1 Kings. Elijah ascends into heaven in the second chapter of 2 Kings. Before Elijah s ascension, Elisha asks for a double portion of Elijah s spirit. Shortly thereafter, 2 Kings begins telling the stories of Elisha s wisdom, message, and the miracles that Elisha performed. Elisha is welcomed as a prophet by those who followed Elijah. They claim that Elijah s spirit rests on Elisha (2 Kings 2:15). Elisha s first miracle was to restore the quality of water in Jericho. Today s miracle, the healing of Naaman, is the sixth recorded miracle of Elisha. Bible Nuts and Bolts: Bible Citations The Bible is a compilation of books, letters, and stories written in different places in different times. These writings were all assembled into the biblical canon, or set list of books, that we use today. The original manuscripts of the Bible did not contain chapter or verse divisions. In the thirteenth century the books of the Bible were divided into the chapters that we see in our Bibles today. In the sixteenth century these chapters were further divided into verses. There are 929 chapters in the Old Testament and 260 chapters in the New Testament. There are 23,145 verses in the Old Testament and 7,957 verses in the New Testament, a total of 31,102 verses! That s a lot of Scripture to memorize! Chapter and verse divisions make it possible to have universal referencing of specific parts of the Bible. Story Themes Naaman was a commander in the army of the king of Aram and was suffering from leprosy. Naaman is recorded as being a great man, a mighty warrior, who was regarded with favor by his master. But Naaman was afflicted with leprosy, a highly contagious disease of the skin that caused large weeping sores. A slave girl told Naaman about Elisha, a prophet of God, who could cure Naaman. A young slave girl who served Naaman s wife heard about Naaman s leprosy. She was an Israelite and followed God. She knew of Elisha s power and gave a message to Naaman s wife saying Elisha would heal Naaman. The prophet Elisha sent Naaman to wash in the Jordan River seven times and he was cured of his leprosy. When Naaman arrived in Samaria and went to meet Elisha, Elisha would not come to meet him. Instead he sent his messengers to tell Naaman to wash in the Jordan River seven times. Naaman was offended that Elisha did not greet him personally, but Naaman s soldiers convinced Naaman to go to the Jordan River. After washing seven times Naaman s leprosy was healed. Spiritual Practice: Fellowship We all carry our own stories about God s presence in our lives. We are all unique in the ways that God has been made real to us. However, we are all united in faith and we can rejoice together that God provides for us all. We will work together as a class today to demonstrate how God s protection and provision affect us all. Our professions of faith will be hung in our classroom as an expression of thankfulness for God s work in our lives. 25

26 LIVING THE WORD Try HOME Last week we studied 2 Kings 3:4-28. This was the story of a battle between Israel and Moab. In this story the prophet Elisha gave the King of Israel a message from God that the Israelites would prevail in the war over the Moabites. Next week we will be studying Micah 5:2-4; 6:6-8. Micah was another prophet of God to Israel. This is a well-known passage that focuses on the themes of justice, kindness, and humility. This week the students talked about the miracles that we study in the Bible. Miracles are a sign of God s goodness, provision, and love. We also see this provision, goodness, and love from God. Together we experienced a powerful enactment of God s goodness to us. Studying the miracles of the Bible, especially the miracles of Christ, can give us a new understanding of God s mighty love for us. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 2 Kings 4: Kings 4:1-7 Mark 4:35-41 John 11:35-44 Exodus 14:15-25 Mark 6:30-44 Mark 2:1-12 Elisha fed 100 people with one sack full of food! Elisha provided sustenance to the people. It was not only physical sustenance, but spiritual sustenance too, for the miracle was from God. Find some food in your house or story that you can donate to a local food pantry. In this miracle of Elisha, Elisha helped a widow. God provided oil for the woman to sell so that her children were not sold into slavery. The widow cried to Elisha for help. Are we asking God for help? Lift up your fears to God in prayer, trusting that your words are heard by our loving God. Here Jesus calmed the seas demonstrating his love. Do you doubt that God cares for us? Yesterday you prayed for God s help. Today spend time in prayer asking for the faith to believe that God will provide for us. Lazarus was a close friend to Jesus. Jesus cried when he arrived to find that Lazarus had died. Jesus used this miracle as an opportunity to glorify God. Create a list as a family of the blessings you receive from your friendships and then thank God for those friends. The Israelites were fleeing from the Egyptians when God commanded Moses to part the Red Sea. Thousands of people are traveling every day. Make a list of different modes of transportation people use and then pray for the safety of the people on their travels. The Bible said that Jesus had compassion for the people and that s why he wanted to feed them. So many people need compassion in our world. What is one thing you can do this week to show compassion to someone else? Show real love for your family today by blessing one another. Tell each member of your family just how special they are to you. Be specific! What does your family do for you to show you love?