Does your family go to the beach in the summer or some other time of the year? Don’t leave God at home. Have a fun family devotional as you watch the waves crash onto shore.
Read your kids Matthew 7:24-26. Ask them why they think a house built on sand is more vulnerable to a storm than a house built on a rock. Explain that though the story seems like it is about building houses, it has a deeper meaning. Tell them that the house represents our faith in God. If our faith is based on something shallow, it is like the house built on the sand. If they build their faith on rock, then they will have a faith in God that won’t collapse when troubles happen in life.
Discuss ways they can make their faith stronger. Make sure that Bible study, prayer, memorizing and reflecting on scripture, community with other Christians, and serving and sharing their faith with others are mentioned along with any other ideas they may have.
Encourage your children to try and build a sand castle near the water’s edge that can withstand the waves. If you prefer, you can add a conversation about the connection between having a strong faith and spending eternity in Heaven with God. Then have them build sand versions of what they think Heaven is like. They can build these a little farther back from the waves, so they won’t be easily destroyed. When they are finished, have them explain their structures to you.