What is perseverance and how does it fit in a christian's life? It's story time in Terrene as Grandpa tells tales about the importance of determination.
Before You ListenTheme: Never give up
1. Hebrews 12:1 compares the Christian life to a race. Describe the last time you had to do something really hard, like run a race. What motivated you to finish the task? How does this compare to the Christian life?
2. Genesis 6,7 and 8, tells the story of Noah and how he persevered. It took Noah between 55-75 years to build the ark. He was in the ark for the 40 days while it rained. The waters flooded the earth for 150 more days. Then, he was in the ark for another half a year until the waters went away. Noah did all of this while taking care of a boat full of stinky animals! God gave Noah a task that took him over 75 years. That is perseverance! As you listen to this episode, think about how you can show the same kind of perseverance as Noah did.
A: Tommy and Harry, Lizard of the Lake, and Pheidippides.
A: He kept moving, even though he was slower, and he didn't stop.
A: He stayed at the dike all night, plugging up the leak with his tail, until help could come.
In this episode, Liz hears some stories about perseverance. You show perseverance in your own life. For example, you can continue to have good behavior at school, even when you are having a bad day. You can be a part of a team, even when you don't get to play. You can practice a musical instrument, even when you are tired of playing the same song over and over again. It’s hard, but be encouraged! The next time you are in the middle of doing something hard, think about Noah. He didn't quit, but he didn't do it alone either. He cried out to God for help. God helped him, and God promises to help you too. That's a promise you can count on!
Want to dig deeper and learn more about perseverance? Check out Romans 12:12, Galatians 6:9, James 1:12.
Many games require perseverance. Have you ever had to work for hours to get through a video game level? Pick a strategy game to play with your family. Chess? Risk? Settlers of Catan? Ticket to Ride? Monopoly? Clue? Notice how people handle the ups and downs of the game. Do they get frustrated if they are losing? Do they keep playing? Do they encourage each other? Did persevering help you in the game?