THINK TOGETHER
Have you ever been too weak to do something?
READ TOGETHER
We live in a world that doesn’t like weakness. As you grow up you will be told that you constantly have to do more, be stronger, don’t make mistakes, stop crying, don’t be sad, be better than everyone else. It might be a teacher or a coach who tells you this. Or maybe a preacher. Or maybe even your mom or dad.
But God knows that we are actually weak. In the Old Testament it says that God knows that we are like dust. We are like the grass that gets mowed and blows away. God thinks that it’s OK to be hurt, to be slow, to be weak, to make mistakes, to be sad, to mess up, to try your best but still not win, to not be the best at anything. Why? Because God knows that what we really need most is him and his grace. And when we understand how weak we are, then we will stick with Jesus.
Listen to how Paul says it to the Corinthians here in 2 Corinthians 12:
2 Corinthians 12:9. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Paul says that God’s power comes through our weakness. Think about Jesus on the cross for a minute. The cross is our greatest picture of weakness being power. On the cross Jesus was very weak. He was nailed in place and couldn’t move. He was hurt and dying. But also on the cross Jesus was showing the great power of God to take our sins and sacrifice for us out of the power of love.
Some people think that Christianity is all about power that looks like God doing big miracles, solving all our problems, and taking away all of our weakness. But Paul says that the power of God is actually found in the middle of our problems and our pain. God’s “strength is made perfect in our weakness.” How? Because when we are honest about our weakness we will turn to God for his strength – the strength of knowing that he loves us no matter what. And then we can learn to love people who are weak just like God does.
You see people who just want God to make them more and more powerful, or help them be the best at everything, usually end up being selfish and mean. But people who realize that they are weak and need Jesus usually end up being more and more humble and kind. And that is true power. The power to love like Jesus.
Because of Jesus all our weakness can be turned into his strength.
With Jesus we can be weak and learn to trust God’s powerful love for us.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Go around and give an opportunity for each family member say something that they need help with from God. Talk about how God likes it when we need his help. He wants us to need him and admit when we are weak or when we have failed.
And here’s a great song to sing together:
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus,
You became weak for me on the cross, and that was the most powerful thing ever because you conquered my sin there. Help me to let God use my weakness to show the power of his love and grace too.
Amen.
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