Psalm 33:12-22
Your Story
Talk about a time when you depended on God. What happened? Did you feel peace about the situation because you depended on God?
My Story and the Bible Story
These days, it seems like every time you turn on the TV, there’s news that something bad has happened. And now, with the presidential election only a few months away, it seems like everybody thinks they have that one solution that will keep us safe, that one idea that will keep our country safe. And yet, sometimes it’s hard to feel safe. It’s hard not to be afraid of the things that are happening right now. But thank goodness God has a way of reminding us that we can trust in Him, that we can have peace because He is our Savior.
Read Psalm 33:12-22. From The Message: “Blessed is the country with God for God; blessed are the people he’s put in his will. From high in the skies God looks around, he sees all Adam’s brood. From where he sits he overlooks all us earth-dwellers. He has shaped each person in turn; now he watches everything we do. No king succeeds with a big army alone, no warrior wins by brute strength. Horsepower is not the answer; no one gets by on muscle alone. Watch this: God’s eye is on those who respect him, the ones who are looking for his love. He’s ready to come to their rescue in bad times; in lean times he keeps body and soul together. We’re depending on God; he’s everything we need. What’s more, our hearts brim with joy since we’ve taken for our own his holy name. Love us God, with all you’ve got—that’s what we’re depending on.”
I don’t know about you, but those verses fill me with peace. “We’re depending on God; he’s everything we need. What’s more, our hearts brim with joy since we’ve taken for our own his holy name. Love us God, with all you’ve got—that’s what we’re depending on.” God is everything we need. No matter what happens in our world—whether the election goes the way you want it to or not, whether or not you make the team or make an A on that test, whether you move away from your friends or something bad happens, whatever happens—God is everything we need. God has you in the palm of His hand and He’s not letting go. We can depend on God’s love because He overwhelms us with it. He loves us so much that we can’t even understand how deep it is.
Our culture says that if you have a big army or a lot of strength, you have all you need. But we know that that’s not enough. Only God is enough—only God is everything we need. God shapes us and He watches over us. He comes to our rescue in bad times. There are many times when we have to depend on God to get us through. There are times when we are upset and not sure how we’ll ever be happy again. But if we depend on God, He gives us His peace. He brings people into our lives to help us. And He walks beside us so that we know we are not alone.
Things are still going to happen in our world. There will be times when you will still be afraid. But know that you can depend on God. He’s everything you need!
Discussion
• Ask your family to talk about times when they have depended on God. Maybe for your kids it was depending on God to help them not be anxious about a test, or make friends at a new school, or even to help them make a soccer goal. Whatever it is, big or small, have them talk about it. Then ask how it felt to depend on God: scary? Peaceful? How did it turn out?
• Ask your children to talk about things that make them afraid. Then talk about how they can depend on God when those things happen.
Prayer
Thank God for always being there for us. Thank Him for always loving us. Ask Him for help in depending on Him. Ask Him to give you peace.
Jessica Asbell is currently serving as the Minister to Children at First Baptist Church of Roswell, GA. She has worked with children in various capacities at several churches, including Winter Park Baptist in Wilmington, NC, First Baptist of Decatur, GA, and Highland Hills Baptist in Macon, GA. She has a Master of Divinity from McAfee School of Theology and a BBA from Mercer University. In her spare time she loves to read, watch movies, and of course spend time with her sweet kitty, Lucy.
