Family Fun At Christmastime By Ewald & Beatrix Van Rensburg Sample

The Gift of Grace

Best and worst

Give everyone a chance to talk about the best and worst moments of their day.

Where did you encounter Jesus today?

Talk to each other about how each family member encountered Jesus, and about something or someone that reminded them of Him.

• What is your understanding of this story of Jesus?

• What did you learn about God here?

• How are God’s values different from the values of the world?

Thought for the day 

When it was apple season, a boy named Robert and his six siblings had to peel apples until all the fruit had been packed into jars. His mother never counted how many apples they peeled, although the younger kids were more in the way than anything else: They wasted time with sliced fingers, arguments about who was using which bowl and apple core fights.

But when the work was done, everyone got exactly the same reward: the biggest chocolate-dipped ice-cream money could buy! Someone pedantic might have argued that this wasn’t completely fair, but Robert couldn’t remember anyone ever having complained about it. 

Family members understand that a family doesn’t follow the same rules as a business or a court of law! When the shop ran out of ice-cream and the youngest child had to make do with a lollipop, they were all sorry despite his lack of productivity (and the fact that he had eaten the apples he was supposed to have peeled that day—all two of them).

Likewise, God wants all His children to enjoy the full gift of grace, even though we don’t deserve it. 

Activity

Go and work in a garden, park or a street somewhere nearby. Do some weeding or pick up litter—and make your neighborhood a better place.

Prayer

Father, thank You for grace and the gift of Your Son, Jesus. We look forward to celebrating His birthday soon! Bless us with grace and unity. Amen.

Random act of kindness

This week, show grace to the members of your family (like Jesus does). Do something for them that they don’t deserve.

For parents only

Remember that your children haven’t been on earth very long. Judge them gently and let grace infuse your home, especially at this festive time of year.