Let’s Sing! – Fun, Flexible Family Devotional

Let's Sing! - Fun, Flexible Family Devotional - Parenting Like HannahToday’s fun, flexible family devotional is about songs. Don’t worry! You don’t have to be musical to enjoy this devotional. This week even the activity is a bit flexible. You can use Christian music you own or can access through Spotify or the radio.

Those of you who are a little musical can even try composing a worship song with your kids (we will give you some hints to make it easier!). As always, you pick the Bible story and application principle that you feel best meets the needs of your kids.

Supplies: Bible, Christian music (If you don’t own any, try free Spotify or Christian radio.)

Procedure: Choose one of the following Bible stories and application principles to be the focus of your lesson.

  • Songs of Moses and Miriam. Exodus 14 & 15:1-21. Moses and Miriam both sang songs praising God after the Israelites successfully escaped captivity in Egypt. They knew this was a blessing from God. They were not only celebrating, but were grateful to God for taking care of them.
  • Psalms of Praise and Celebration. Psalm 100. Did you know that 98 of the Psalms are praising and worshipping God? The Jewish people used Psalms regularly as songs and prayers in worship and in their daily lives. Psalm 100 is probably one of the better known Psalms of praise.
  • Paul and Silas in Jail. Acts 16:16-40. Paul and Silas had been thrown in jail – not for a regular crime – but for teaching about Jesus. They were bound with chains and sitting on a “floor” that was probably nasty. They had been beaten severely and their wounds were probably still dirty and uncovered.  Who knows when they had last had food or even water to drink. They should have been miserable, yet they were singing. How could they sing praises to God when their conditions were so miserable?

Gather your children together. You may want to have a Christian song playing in the background or you can sing one to them. Ask each of your children to name their favorite “church song” and explain why they like it. (Don’t worry. It’s fine if they say “It’s happy/peppy/fun”!)  Share the Bible story and application you have chosen with them. For all three of the stories, there is a common theme of praising God, celebrating His love for us and being grateful for His gifts to us.

Look at the song lyrics in your Bible story if they are provided. (For Paul and Silas, have your kids think of what may have been some of the words in the songs they sang.) Have your kids explain them in their own words.

Take a familiar tune your kids all know. Often, something like Mary Had a Little Lamb is the easiest song to use. Write down the original words to the song. Show your kids how each syllable matches a note in the song. Now work together or separately to write new worship lyrics to the same tune. You should have a syllable for every syllable in the original lyrics. (Example: “Mary had” might become “We all have” in your new song as each phrase has three syllables.)

The final results don’t matter as much as focusing on ways to praise God with what is on our hearts. End your time by enjoying your new songs or by listening to some of your favorite praise and worship songs (or singing them yourselves).

 

Published by

Thereasa Winnett

Thereasa Winnett is the founder of Teach One Reach One and blogger at Parenting Like Hannah. She holds a BA in education from the College of William and Mary. She has served in all areas of ministry to children and teens for more than thirty years and regularly leads workshops for ministries and churches. She has conducted numerous workshops, including sessions at Points of Light’s National Conference on Volunteering and Service, the National Urban Ministry Conference, Pepperdine Bible Lectures, and Lipscomb’s Summer Celebration. Thereasa lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband Greg, where she enjoys reading, knitting, traveling and cooking.

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