Children's Message - Resolutions

I have been pondering the idea of using this space to share more of what I do professionally, especially as I draw closer to finishing school and find myself working more, and therefore have more to share.  As a Christian educator, when I set out to write a lesson or a message, I often start with a Google search to see what ideas are already out there.  Sometimes I find good content, or at least enough to give me a starting point, but I think there is still plenty of room for more (hopefully high quality) content to be shared. 

I am given the opportunity to give the children's message during Sunday morning services once every couple months, and I usually try to connect my message with that morning's Scripture passage and/or sermon message.  And yes, I'm the kind of person that writes out every word I want to say, which makes it easy to share in this space!  So onto this week's post -

Children's Message - Based on Ephesians 1: 3-14, connected to New Year's Resolutions

Good morning everyone (welcome children)....

How is 2018 going?  Has it been a good year so far?  There’s a specific word that you might have heard a lot in the last week or so, and that word is “resolution.”  Can anyone tell me what that word means? (Allow time for answers, repeat the kid's responses for congregation to hear.)  It’s a decision to do or not do something.  And often at the start of a New Year many people feel like it’s a good time to start fresh and make some changes to live better lives so they make “New Year’s Resolutions”.  Did any of you make a resolution of something you want to do different this year?  (If needed, offer suggestions, like being nice to your brother or sister or picking up your toys when you’re done playing)  What about the rest of the congregation, raise your hand if you made a resolution for this new year...

Sometimes resolutions work great and we follow through and succeed at making the change we wanted to.  But sometimes we forget about what we wanted to do different, or it gets hard and we decide to just let that idea go.  And that’s just the way it goes for us humans.  But do you know who always follows through?  God!  That’s one of those special ways that God is bigger and greater than us, God can always be trusted to do what God says God will do.  In a couple minutes Pastor Steve is going to read a passage from a book in the Bible called Ephesians and it’s a big complicated passage but it can be summed up in three words, are you listening close?  God loves us!  From the very moment God created us all through history until today, God has always loved us and we have always been God’s people.  And we always will be.  So as we go out from church today and keep living our lives in this new year, I want you to know deep, deep inside your heart that God is following through on the resolution God made: that no matter what’s going on in your life, good or bad, God is loving you and is always with you.  Will you pray with me?

Loving God, thank you for this fresh new year.  As we live and grow and learn, help us to always know and feel that you are loving us, and inspire us to share your love with others.  Amen.