Hands-On Faith for Families – Week of May 22, 2023
Theme: Be Honest with God
God Takes Our Guilt If We Ask Him
Scripture: For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. (Psalm 32:3, 4 ESV)
Play: Recite this poem together while family members sit cross-legged with their arms under their legs up to their elbows. They can straighten out on the third line.
My body’s like a pretzel; I know it sounds odd,
But that’s how my heart feels until I talk to God.
I’m now relaxed and happy, and feeling good again.
I admitted I was wrong, and God forgave my sin.
Talk: When we do something wrong, we often feel bad, twisted inside like a pretzel. Psalm 32:3-5 reminds us that if we don’t admit our sin to God, our guilt can make us physically sick. If we talk to God and ask Him to forgive us, we can relax and feel good again. Only God can make our hearts pure, cheerful and healthy. Have you ever felt better after talking to Him? If so, what happened?
Pray: Ask God to help you confess your sins to Him so you won’t have to carry the heavy burden of guilt.
— Kelly J. Stigliano
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