THINK TOGETHER
What are some things that you do where you earn points or money (schoolwork, sports, chores)?
READ TOGETHER
So far in the story of the Bible we have seen that people are pretty bad. From Adam and Eve, to Cain, to the flood, to the Tower of Babel, the Bible is showing us that if life were about earning points for being good and losing points for being bad, none of us would earn enough points to go to heaven. But then comes these words from Genesis 15:6 –
Genesis 15:6. And [Abraham] believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
Who is Abraham? When God saw just how bad the people of the world were (even after the flood), God decided to save the world through one single family. Abraham’s family. God asked Abraham to leave his home and to come live with God and trust him. God promised to be Abraham’s God and friend. He promised to take care of him and his family. He promised to give him a land to live in (it was called the “Promised Land”). He promised to give Abraham a huge family one day. And he even promised to bless everyone on earth through Abraham.
Wow! Abraham must have been really, really good, right? Nope. Read Genesis 15:6 again. It says that God “counted Abraham as righteous.” That means that God gave Abraham a perfect score even though he wasn’t perfect. Why would God just count Abraham as perfect even though he wasn’t? Because God just wanted Abraham (and us) to believe. To trust his promises. And because thankfully GOD DOESN’T KEEP SCORE. Why not? Because Jesus came and earned a perfect score for us. Jesus got an A+ at life. And now, like Abraham, we can be counted as righteous too when we trust that Jesus was perfect instead of us. Do you believe that only Jesus is perfect and that he wants you to have his perfect score with God for free?
Because of Jesus I can be counted as perfect.
With Jesus I can trust God and obey him because he loves me, not to earn his love.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Play a game together (inside or outside) without keeping score. Is it better to play something just for fun or would you rather know who wins and who loses?
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, thank you for earning a perfect score for me because I never could. Help me to always trust that you love me no matter what. Amen.
TLICfamily 