We’re on snow day #7 in our house so our schedule has been off and things haven’t gone quite like we’d planned the past two weeks. But being home from school has given us extra time to watch What’s in the Bible? (yay!) and the opportunity to share the experience with my 8 year old niece.
Honestly, the idea of wandering in the desert couldn’t come at a more appropriate time for us. Buck Denver and gang call the Israelite’s journey to the Promised Land a “40 year time out.” This mama is on day 12 of her time out and I’m sorry to say I’ve behaved a bit like those distrusting, unfaithful, ungrateful children of Israel a time or two since our first snowfall a few weeks ago.
But as I pray and ask God for his grace and strength to help us make it to Spring, I hear the voices of The Bentley Brothers echo in my ears:
“God gives you his best, give him your best and you will be blessed.” (from the Deuteronomy song)
I love this idea of receiving his best with our best in turn (although I fail at this miserably most days) and then rejoicing in the blessings that follow. It’s a reminder for parents who want to walk faithfully with God and it’s an important truth to teach our children.
This month we watched Volume 3 twice all snuggled together and even made a tent (you know…to truly drive home the whole wandering in the desert thing) for one viewing. The kids especially loved the bonus features included with these episodes. We highly recommend watching them.
What we found in Volume 3, Wanderin’ in the Desert:
Key Concepts:
- Sin
- Holiness
History:
- The Pentateuch
- The Rules of Leviticus
Stories:
- Moses
- The Israelites
- The Promised Land
As we guide our family through the desert with the Israelites in Volume 3, here are a few things we are keeping in mind:
- As we continue to share the idea of sin with our children, we’ll focus on consequences, giving the example of Israel’s “40 year time out”. The Israelites’ lack of trust in God was a sin and sin always costs us something.
- God’s rescue plan will always be the center of our conversations about sin because we want our children to know God provided a way for us to be saved from what sin does to us.
- When talking about rules, it will be helpful to use examples of our own family/house rules, explaining their purpose and what happens when we break them.
- Although holiness is the goal, holiness does not equal perfection. We never want our children to feel they will never measure up.
A few discussion ideas we’ll be using this month:
- Holiness – Since this is a tough concept for children (especially young ones) to understand, we’ll focus on the idea of being “set apart.” Our What’s In The Bible? friends do a wonderful job explaining this important concept.
- Rules – We’ll explain the difference between ritual and ethical holiness; a concept enlightening for even adults, that will help us share with our children why today, we follow some but not all of the rules in the Bible.
- The Israelites – The people of Israel tried and tried to follow the rules but they just kept messing up – much like we do every day of our lives. We’ll remind our children that God is faithful, even when we mess up, just like he was with the Israelite people. The journey of life may seem long and hard but God is with us every step of the way.
- The Promised Land – We’ll share that we also have a “promised land” in the hope of heaven and in every thing we trust God for in our lives today. When we remain faithful to God as we walk with him, he will guide us into all he has promised us.
Studying the book of Deuteronomy reminds me of one of my favorite verses for family faith:
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. (Deuteronomy 6:5-7 ESV)
I could probably say this for every volume but I think so far this one is my favorite. There is so much truth here, delivered clearly, for parents to consider themselves. Our journey through the Bible has been equally beneficial for our children and for us as we dig into complex faith concepts we’ve often avoided. This series is life changing for parents and children alike. I hope you are joining us on this exciting journey.
Have you shared What’s In The Bible? Volume 3 with your kids? What has been your greatest takeaway?
Begin a journey through the Bible with your family! Check out the What’s In The Bible? starter pack that includes the first 3 DVDs of the series which cover the first 5 books of the Bible: Genesis through Deuteronomy!
Now that you’ve watched through the first 3 DVDs in the series with your family, you’ve seen the whole Pentateuch! If you don’t have the Genesis and Exodus activity packs, the Pentateuch Activity Book is the perfect way to celebrate your journey through the first 5 books of the Bible.
Jessica Wolstenholm is co-founder of Grace for Moms. After 15 years in the music and publishing industries, Jessica came home to be with her two small children. Although the transition from the corporate world to the playground has been an adjustment, she is learning every day to access the grace available to us through Christ as she navigates the full time job of motherhood. She is the co-author of The Pregnancy Companion: A Faith-Filled Guide for Your Journey to Motherhood and The Baby Companion: A Faith-Filled Guide for Your Journey Through Baby’s First Year. Jessica lives in Nolensville, TN with her husband, Dave and two miracle babies, Hope (6) and Joshua (3).
You can purchase or rent What’s in the Bible? Volume 3: Wanderin’ in the Desert from:
