The Parent Weekly for December 31st, Kids are invited to sit with their families for New Year’s Eve. The next class is January 7th!

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Big Idea: Remember & Celebrate

Festival of First Fruits: Remembering and Celebrating God as Trustworthy

Did you know?

Share these facts to get the conversation started:

• The Israelites celebrated seven annual festivals: Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, Festival of First Fruits, Feast of Harvest, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths).

• During the festivals, the Israelites ate, danced, sang, played instruments, prayed, and offered sacrifices to God.

• First fruits represent the joyous occasion of the first grain harvest of the spring.

• In the New Testament, Jesus resurrected as the “first fruits” offering on Sunday, the day after the Passover Sabbath.

Connect as a family

This week, give your children an additional act of service or household chore to complete. When your kids finish this task, give them a small amount of money—over and above any normal allowance you might ordinarily give them. Discuss the importance of giving their best to God, and encourage them to consider giving a portion of the money to Him as an act of worship. Read Psalm 85v7–12. Remind your children that everything we have comes from God. Pray with them and thank God for being trustworthy and for always providing for our needs.

After reading the Scripture passage, discuss these questions together:

• What does this passage tell us about God?

• What is your favorite thing about God?

• How can we remember and celebrate the things God has done for us?

These questions can easily extend into the rest of the week. Look for opportunities to bring conversations about God as trustworthy into your everyday life as a family.

Blessing

Blessings are often used in the Bible. A blessing can be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words to encourage and guide.

A blessing to pray over your child: (Child’s name), God loves you very much. May you know His voice and obey Him.