Inspire (for parents)

When I became pregnant with my oldest daughter, my husband and I were in a dark period of our marriage. We’d both walked away from God and nearly walked away from each other.

I gave birth to my first baby and named her “Hope.” This was a strange choice for me at the time because I had none. When she was two, the problems in our crumbling marriage came to a head and my husband and I found ourselves looking over the edge of the cliff of divorce. But it was a leap we weren’t willing to take. When I began to rebuild my life with my husband and God, I wondered about the self-serving and self-absorbed mother I had been for the first two years of my daughter’s life.

I broke down in a counselor’s office and asked her if I’d ruined my baby. She was a toddler now, and I’d been so full of myself. Could any of this be redeemed? She smiled. Of course it could.

God’s main business is to heal. His primary job is to scoop up the broken pieces of our lives and put them back together in a way that makes more sense than when it began. He delights

in giving all of His love to buy us back from that edge and redeem our lives.

He’d redeemed our marriage, and He would redeem our daughter. The stresses of her hurting parents had some effect on Hope, but those first two years are almost forgotten. Six years later, she is vibrant, growing, and beginning to understand God’s big rescue of the world.

Soon, I’ll tell her the story of how He rescued her parents and how He redeemed us all.

by Sarah Markley

Equip (for parents)

In the story of Joseph, God redeemed him many times over. Joseph was beaten by his brothers, sold into slavery, framed by the wife of Potiphar, and forgotten in jail, yet God redeemed him out of every one of these situations. An interesting thing about this story is that God not only redeemed Joseph out of these situations, He redeemed him extravagantly. A writer of Scripture points out God’s extravagant redemption can be seen in Joseph’s garments. Joseph changed garments five times during the story. Joseph goes on a journey that sees him take on the garments of a favorite child, a slave, an overseer, a prisoner, and eventually a ruler dressed in fine robes.

We all have stories of redemption. Whether they seem big or small in our eyes, we have all been restored by God’s grace. Our garments of sorrow and hopelessness have been changed to garments of salvation and joy. It’s so important that we tell these redemption stories to our children. These stories give hope, and they give our children a picture of a God who can move and redeem. They also show our kids that we are not perfect, that following Jesus is not about being perfect. They show that a genuine life lived with Jesus is not about never messing up, rather it’s about letting God redeem those mess-ups for His glory.

Suppor t (for parents & kids)

Sometime this week read through the biblical account of Joseph’s story in Genesis 37:12–36 and 41:41–49. At the end of each passage think of a question that reviews what you just read such as, “What did Joseph’s brothers do to him?” or “What did Pharaoh do to Joseph?”

Before you begin to read the account, pray together as a family. Spend some time asking God what He might want each of you to hear from Him.

Just for fun, incorporate a bit of your own story into this time. Gather your kids together and read the passage to them. After you have finished, tell them that, just as God redeemed Joseph, He redeems all of us. Chose a story in your own life that shows God’s redemption and share that with your children.

When you are finished, ask your children if they have any questions about the story of Joseph or about your story. Let them know what they just heard is a part of The Big God Story in the Bible and that they will hear it in church. Remind them God is working to redeem their lives as He redeemed Joseph’s, just as He redeemed you.

© 2010 David C Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with roCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.

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ELEMENTARYKIDS & FAMILIES

Getting Started

Scripture: Genesis 37; 39—41 (Joseph, Part I)

Main Point: God Redeems

This resource is designed to allow your family to

have time in God’s Word before your children

attend church. Because God’s plan is for parents

to be the spiritual nurturers of their children’s faith,

we know that as you grow spiritually, your children

will grow spiritually as well.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall

not be in want. He makes me lie

down in green pastures, he leads

me beside quiet waters, he restores

my soul. He guides me in paths of

righteousness for his name’s sake.”

Psalm 23:1–3

REMEMBER vERsE

God deliGhts in GivinG all of his love to buy us back … and redeem our lives.

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