MARCH: GOD SAVED THE PEOPLE
AND THEY BECAME A SHALOM COMMUNITY
Concept:
The descendants of Abraham and Sarah became slaves in the land of Egypt. They cried out to God. Through “signs and wonders” and one big miraculous sea crossing, God led the people out of slavery…and into the wilderness. For forty years, the people lived in the wilderness together, learning how to be a shalom community.
One way to think of this desert time is kind of like a timeout. Things had been so hard, and emotions were so high, and God was asking them to live in a very different way than they had been living in Egypt. So God led them to a place where the distractions were taken away. In their 40-year timeout, they learned how to treat each other and live in community (following the boundaries of the commandments). They learned to worship God (and only God). They learned the value of “enough.” And so much more!
*Shalom is a Hebrew word “peace” - and so much more! It’s an active word, a way of living in right relationship with ourselves, God, others, and all of creation. Here’s a good, simple explanation of the word (told through a video you can watch with children). https://bibleproject.com/videos/shalom-peace/
Photo by Matthew L. on Unsplash
The descendants of Abraham and Sarah became slaves in the land of Egypt. They cried out to God. Through “signs and wonders” and one big miraculous sea crossing, God led the people out of slavery…and into the wilderness. For forty years, the people lived in the wilderness together, learning how to be a shalom community.
One way to think of this desert time is kind of like a timeout. Things had been so hard, and emotions were so high, and God was asking them to live in a very different way than they had been living in Egypt. So God led them to a place where the distractions were taken away. In their 40-year timeout, they learned how to treat each other and live in community (following the boundaries of the commandments). They learned to worship God (and only God). They learned the value of “enough.” And so much more!
*Shalom is a Hebrew word “peace” - and so much more! It’s an active word, a way of living in right relationship with ourselves, God, others, and all of creation. Here’s a good, simple explanation of the word (told through a video you can watch with children). https://bibleproject.com/videos/shalom-peace/
Photo by Matthew L. on Unsplash
Read It: (The Peace Table 52-66; Shine On 44-58)
Exodus 3:7-8; Exodus 14:21-26; Exodus 16:13-18; Exodus 20:1-3
This is a long saga, and reading a little bit every night from a story Bible will work very well!
Exodus 3:7-8; Exodus 14:21-26; Exodus 16:13-18; Exodus 20:1-3
This is a long saga, and reading a little bit every night from a story Bible will work very well!
Pray It: God, we cry out to you. You hear us, you give us what we need. Sometimes you ask us to do hard or strange things. Help us trust you and remember that you are the only true God. Amen
Do It:
Recite the Story:
- Artistic Representation: Choose whichever of these stories most captures your household’s imaginations. Create it visually however you like. Paint it, make a diorama out of things from the natural world, make a collage…
- Cry Out: Notice how when a baby needs something, they cry. Their caregiver hears them, and responds to their needs. The caregiver doesn’t always just make it all go away or all be better right away, but they do respond. It actually works this way between us and God, too. We cry out, and God hears us and responds. Not always in the way we want! But God does listen. So try crying out. You can write or draw your cries. You can literally cry out. You can make some noise with your body or with instruments. Throw a tantrum if you need to (grownups too!). Trust that God heard you. And in the moments and days to come, notice how God might be responding. Photo by Arwan Sutanto on Unsplash
- Manna and Quail: Choose two very simple (and nutritious) meals, such as a grain and fruit for breakfast and soup for supper. Eat only those things for an entire week (snack on the same things in between meals). Notice how you feel about it. Were you all tired of the foods? Did any family members like the predictability? What do you think it would be like to eat only those things for the foreseeable future?
- Family Timeout: Choose a 24-hour period in which you will take a step away from all the things of life. Put away devices, work, vehicles, and anything else that might distract you. Then let those 24 hours be whatever will be the best reset button for your family. Maybe that’s playing games, or being outside, or cooking together, or taking naps, or playing child-led activities. Spend some of your time reading these Bible stories, singing, and praying. Then re-enter life. How did God work in you during your 24-hour timeout?
- Guide for Shalom: Make a poster for your house of God’s guides for living in shalom (often called the Ten Commandments). Put it up in a common area of your house, and help each other live by these guides. You can use your Bible’s interpretation of these rules - or we love the interpretation found in The Peace Table:
- “I am the eternal and holy one, the only true God you must follow.
- You must not create idols to worship.
- My holy name shall not be used to make false promises.
- Remember to have a sabbah day of rest.
- Honor and respect your parents.
- Do not murder.
- Be faithful to your marriage.
- Do not steal.
- Do not lie about your neighbors.
- Do not covet what belongs to others.
Recite the Story:
- God created, and it was good.
- God called a family to be a blessing to all the earth.
- God saved the people and they became a shalom community.
Explore It: Notes from Tami
Children's Crying Out: Young children are quite adept at crying out and expressing their feelings. And that is good! Our response can help them deal with the challenges they experience. Our Crying Out: We often feel like we can complain and “cry out” to friends and other people, but we shouldn’t to God. A more honest and healthy relationship with God includes openly expressing all our thoughts and feelings to God. This includes both the positive “righteous” ones as well as the painful and not-so-pretty ones. Just as we show compassion to our children when they are hurting, God cares when we hurt. Photo by Masjid MABA on Unsplash
Children's Crying Out: Young children are quite adept at crying out and expressing their feelings. And that is good! Our response can help them deal with the challenges they experience. Our Crying Out: We often feel like we can complain and “cry out” to friends and other people, but we shouldn’t to God. A more honest and healthy relationship with God includes openly expressing all our thoughts and feelings to God. This includes both the positive “righteous” ones as well as the painful and not-so-pretty ones. Just as we show compassion to our children when they are hurting, God cares when we hurt. Photo by Masjid MABA on Unsplash
