THINK TOGETHER
Ask your mom and dad what nostalgia is and ask them what they are nostalgic for.
READ TOGETHER
When King David’s son, Solomon was the king of Israel he built a huge and beautiful temple for God. It was massive and glorious, covered in gold, and decorated with all kinds of awesome designs. But then when the Babylonian army came and destroyed the city of Jerusalem, they also destroyed Solomon’s temple. Even today all that is left of Solomon’s temple is one part of one wall. Here’s a picture:
Then, after 70 years in Babylon, the Jewish people were allowed to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple for God.
But when the people started to rebuild the temple, they soon realized that it would not be nearly as good, or as big, or as beautiful as Solomon’s Temple. At firs this made them sad. Then it made some of the people angry. And little by little the people decided to give up on the new temple all together because it just wouldn’t be as good as it used to be.
So God sent his prophet Haggai (can you find Haggai in your Bible) to talk to the people. Listen to what Haggai told them:
Haggai 2:3-5. 3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? 4 Yet now …Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts…Fear not.
Haggai 2:9. I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts…The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.
God is telling the people to not be sad, or angry, or afraid just because they think something used to be better in the past. He’s telling them to look forward, to keep moving, to think about what is coming in the future. He’s telling them to have hope! Why? Because the best is yet to come.
Have you ever been sad because things aren’t as “good” as they used to be? We can learn the same lesson as the Jewish people returning from exile in Babylon can’t we? We can learn to have hope for what is ahead of us in life. Why? Because with Jesus the best is always yet to come.
Haggai was able to see that a better temple was coming. One day Jesus would come and fill his people with his own glory from inside of us. He put his love in us, and the Holy Spirit lives in us, and now all who trust in Jesus and love him are God’s new, living and breathing temple. God lives in us and fills us with his glory and peace.
And one day Jesus will come back for us and live with us forever and ever. And we will be with God forever and ever. And every day will be better than the day before. The best will always be yet to come!
Because of Jesus I know the best is always yet to come.
With Jesus I can always be excited about tomorrow.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Sing “Bound For Glory” together.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus,
Thank you for turning me into God’s living temple. I can’t wait to live with you and God forever and ever.
Amen.
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