Remembrance Day
It’s time for the annual Remembrance Day parade, but what exactly are Liz and his friends remembering? And why is Grandpa so sad?
Before You ListenLet's Get Started
Theme: God is our refuge.
1. Psalm 46:1 says that God protects, gives strength, and helps us when we are in trouble. When have you felt God’s help when you’ve had trouble?
2. A refuge is a place of safety. In Joshua 20, God tells Joshua to set up cities of refuge. In Joshua's day, when someone killed another person, the dead person’s family was expected to take revenge and kill the person responsible, even if the killing was an accident. God wanted to help improve this poor system of justice. So, God had Joshua set up refuge cities that were no more than a day's journey from anywhere in Israel. Joshua made sure that anyone, Israelite or not, could flee to the nearest city of refuge, so that their life might be spared. If an accident happened, the accused could find safety in the city and await fair justice. As you listen to today’s story, think about how people need places of safety and God’s help during times of trouble.
After you listen
Quiz
A: She is against war because there are more rational ways to resolve conflict.
A: Because his cousin Herbert is in the Army and missing in action.
Reflect
In this episode, Liz gets some very bad news. He worries about his cousin and goes to Grandpa to find help. Grandpa understands Liz’s worry and tells him a story. A long time ago, when Grandpa was fighting in a war, he met an enemy soldier named Horace. Grandpa and Horace found refuge together in a barn. In the barn, they found peace, rest and freedom from fear.
In the Bible, when Jesus told his disciples that he was leaving, they became worried. But he told them, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27). Jesus wanted his disciples to know that he would always be their refuge. And today, Jesus is still our refuge! This broken world is full of troubles, wars, and sin. But you can always turn to Jesus for help, for protection, and strength.
Want to dig deeper? Check out these Bible passages about God as a refuge: 1 John 4:18; Proverbs 30:5; Matthew 11:28-30.
Challenge
God is our refuge in times of trouble. And, like Joshua, God calls us to help him provide refuge for other people and justice for his world Think about this quote from author Harold Kushner: “The small choices and decisions we make a hundred times a day add up to determining the kind of world we live in.”
Make a list of ten choices that you can make each day to change the world into what God wants for all his people. Choose one choice and start working on that change today. How do these choices reflect Psalm 46:1?
