This devotional about a secure heart in God is meant to be read with your children and is best for ages 4-8. The purpose is to help your kids understand why we can be secure in God’s love for us. My prayer is that as we teach our children the truths about God’s love, the Holy Spirit will work in their hearts to give them a solid security in their relationship with God.
Here is an intro video for parents providing an overview of this devotional, and why it’s so important to teach our children to find their security in Jesus.
Have your children watch this intro video before you start day one.
Read the italic section or paraphrase with your children to fit their age level. Click Here for a printer friendly version.
Day 1 God Made You Special
Visual you will need: baby doll or picture of one
1. Introduction: Do you know who has the most beautiful heart? (wait for answers) Jesus does, that’s right! He is loving, kind, and responsible too! When we learn more about Jesus, we can learn how to have a beautiful heart like His. I sure want to be like Jesus and act the way He does. Do you? The world would be a much better place if everyone acted as kind and loving as Jesus does!
2. Define Secure: This month we are going to learn the character trait, “secure.” Secure means to feel safe and sure of who we are.
3. Give Examples:
When you are feeling scared, what or whom do you like to have with you?
These are things that make us feel safe or secure.
When we are secure in God, we know that He is with us and loves us no matter what.
Do you know why we can feel secure or safe with God? There are many reasons why! The first one we will learn today.
4. Read Verse and Ask Questions:
Psalm 139:13-14 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” (NIV)
Read paraphrase for younger kids: God you created my whole body in my mother’s tummy. Thank you that You made me wonderful and special.
What do you think is the first reason we can be secure in who we are because of God? (wait for answers)
(Hold up baby doll or picture of one) Because God made us special! The first reason we can be secure in God is because He made us! He thought of us before we were born and what He wanted us to be like! We didn’t get here by accident. God had a plan to make us just the way we are!
How do we know that we are special according to this verse?
5. Practice Security:
If someone is teasing you and saying unkind things about you, should you believe them? Why not?
What does God say about you?
How has He created you special? What gifts has He given you?
What matters more? What others think about you or what God thinks about you?
(Perhaps tell a story of how you were teased or not liked by someone as a child and how you learned to accept God’s love and not worry about what others think)
We can be secure about who we are because God made us! He made each of us different and special in our own way. Everybody looks a little different, acts a little different, and likes different things. But one thing is for sure; because the God of the universe made us, we know He made us just like He wanted us to be, and God doesn’t make mistakes!
So what is the first reason we can be secure in God. (hold up baby)
God made us special. That’s right!
Day 2 God Forgives You and Loves You No Matter What
Visuals you will need: baby doll and washcloth
1. Review the Character Trait:
Last time we learned about being secure. What does it mean to be secure? (to feel safe and sure of who we are)
Who can we be secure in?
That’s right, we can be secure in God and Jesus! And what is the first reason we learned that we can feel safe or secure in God? (Hold up a baby doll and wait for answer) We can feel secure in who we are, because God made us special and loves how He made us! We are going to learn our second reason why we can be secure in God. Let’s read a few verses to find out!
2. Read Verses and Ask Questions:
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (NIV)
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (NIV)
Read paraphrase for younger kids: God showed us how much He loves us, because He died for us. If we tell God we are sorry, He will forgive us and take away the sin in our heart. He makes our hearts new and clean.
What do we learn from these verses about God’s love for us? Does He only love us if we are perfect?
How do you know?
In these verses, we learn our second reason we can be secure in God. We learn that God will love us no matter what we do and will forgive all of our sins. God loves us so much that even when we mess up, He will always forgive us, because Jesus died on the cross for our sins. (Hold up a washcloth) It’s like He wiped away all the dirt in our heart with this rag and made it clean again! God will never stop loving us! And we don’t have to live feeling guilty. We can live feeling free and forgiven!
3. Practice Security:
When you disobey God or your parents, will God stop loving you?
What can you do next time you know you have done something wrong?
Can you think of a time when you messed up at something and didn’t do it perfectly? Maybe you didn’t do as well as you wanted on a test or at sports?
How did it make you feel?
Does God love you any less because you didn’t do as “perfectly” as you wanted?
How does it make you feel to know that God’s love and approval of you is just as strong even when you make mistakes?
God doesn’t expect you to be perfect. Nobody is perfect. That’s why Jesus came to save us! Whenever you feel badly for disobeying God or your parents, you can go to God and tell Him you are sorry. He will ALWAYS forgive you and give you a clean heart again! And if you are feeling badly because you didn’t do as well as you wanted at something, God will still love you just the same. His love doesn’t depend on how well you do at something. He just loves you for who you are! And He will never stop loving you!
Day 3: God Is Always with You
Visuals you will need: baby doll, washcloth, blanket/lovie
- Review the Character Trait:
What two things have we learned about security? (Hold up the baby and wait for answers.) God made us special! (Hold up towel and wait for answers) God always loves us and forgives us! Now we are going to learn our third truth. Let’s look at what the Bible says to find out.
2. Read the Verses and Answer Questions:
Read Isaiah 41:10. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (NIV)
Read paraphrase for younger kids:
God says not to be afraid because He is with us and He is our God. He will give us strength and help us; it is like He is holding our hand!
How can we feel safe in God according to this verse?
Read Joshua 1:9 “Be strong and brave; don’t be afraid, because God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (ERV)
Read paraphrase for younger kids: We can be brave and not scared, because God is with us wherever we go!
(Hold up blanket) Just like babies carry blankets or a “lovie” around with them to help them feel safe and secure, we have God with us to help us feel secure!
4. Learn from Jesus:
Since we want to be like Jesus, let’s see if Jesus felt secure or safe with God.
Read Mark 4:35-41
“A furious squall (storm) came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” NIV
Read paraphrase for younger kids:
Jesus and the disciples were in a boat when a big storm came. There were huge waves coming over the boat. Jesus was sleeping, but the disciples were afraid. They woke him and asked Him to help. Jesus got up and told the wind and waves to be quiet. The waves obeyed Him. Jesus asked the disciples why they were so afraid.
Was Jesus afraid of the storm?
Jesus was secure because He knew that God would be with Him. Jesus is always secure in His relationship with God, His Father! And Jesus was with the disciples, so the disciples didn’t have to be afraid.
3. Practice Security:
Is there something that makes you feel afraid?
What scares you the most?
Whenever you are afraid, picture Jesus with you holding your hand, because He is with you! We may not be able to see Him, but He is with us by His Spirit!
You can also memorize one of the verses for this week to help you remember to be secure. When you are feeling scared, say or sing your verse!
For a link of the verse Joshua 1:9 sung to the tune, “My God is so Big..,” click here.
Day 4: God Has a Plan for You
Visuals you will need: baby doll, washcloth, blanket/lovie, item representing a talent such as a microphone, crayon for art, or ball for sports
1. Review the Character Trait:
What three things have we learned about security? (Hold up the baby and wait for answers.) God made us special. (Hold up towel and wait for answers) God always loves us and forgives us when we do something wrong. (Hold up blanket and wait for answers) God is always with us. Now we are going to learn our fourth reason we can be secure with God. Let’s look at what the Bible says to find out.
2. Read the Verses and Answer Questions:
Read Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NIV)
Read paraphrase for younger kids: God says that He has good plans for us to do great things.
What does the Bible say about God having plans for us?
(Hold up item representing talent) The Bible verse says that God has important jobs for us. He wants to use us to do part of His work! Isn’t that exciting? We have gifts and talents that God wants us to use to love others and tell them about Jesus! God made us for a reason! He wants us to be a part of His plan to bring people to know Him! What an exciting reason to live!
3. Practice Security:
What gifts or talents do you have?
How can you use those gifts to share God’s love with people?
What gifts or talents would you like to have to share God’s love with people when you grow up?
Talk about examples of talents/gifts with your kids and how they could use these gifts for God. (Examples: singing, teaching, helping the sick, hospitality, acting, sports, etc.)
Play a game where you hold up the different items we used, and your child has to remember the truths that go with each one about God’s security.
Practice your memory verse from last week, and talk about times you can recite it when you are feeling scared.
Would love your feedback! Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!
Beautiful!!
Thank you, Christine! I give God all the credit. Praying He uses it as He pleases.
This is my favorite devotional so far… Thank you for your videos. This is not only for the kids, but also for adults… I’m learning too. I just had a hard time talking about God to my kids and reading this (and watching the videos) is helping me a lot. Thank you!
You are very welcome, Viviana! I am glad the videos and devotional help you know how to talk about God with your kids.