TLIC FAMILY. DAY 13. JANUARY 13: SENT OUT.

THINK TOGETHER

Have you ever been punished? Why do you think you need to be punished sometimes?

READ TOGETHER

Everything God did in Genesis for Adam and Eve, he did because he loved them. God made Adam and Eve because he loved them. God gave them everything they would need in the garden because he loved them. God even gave them one rule – do NOT eat from the Tree of Knowing Good and Evil – because he loved them. He wanted them to choose to love him too. And when Adam and Eve sinned and ate from that tree anyway, God punished them. Why? Because he loved them. Listen to these verses and see if you can hear what Adam and Eve’s punishment was:

Genesis 3:22-24. ²² Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—”²³ therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden…²⁴ He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

Can you hear how Adam and Eve were punished? That’s right, God sent them out of the garden. God made them leave and blocked the way back in with a scary angel with a flaming sword. Why did God kick them out of the garden? Did he hate Adam and Eve now? Did he never want to see them again? No. God did this to protect them. If Adam and Eve were to eat from the Tree of Life, they would live forever WITH their sin. They would full be full of sin forever. Sometimes punishments protect us, don’t they?

God loves us very much and he never, ever wants to live without us. But he also can’t live with us if we are still full of sin. That’s why Jesus came to earth. Jesus died for our sins on the cross so that we could be free from sin and live with God in his garden forever. Do you believe Jesus died for your sins? Do you want to live with God forever? Me too!  

Because of Jesus we can live with God forever.

With Jesus we never again have to be afraid that God is mad at us, because he has forgiven us.

DO SOMETHING TOGETHER

Make a list of rules that are meant to protect us. Talk about how God loves us so much that he would protect us from things that would hurt us, just like he did with Adam and Eve.

PRAY TOGETHER

Jesus, help me to obey you today, not because I’m afraid, but simply because I love you. Amen.