March 2020
The beginning of March sees the beginning of Lent, a time in the Church calendar when we take time out to reflect and prepare for Easter. In the first week of Lent, children learned in assembly about temptation: the desire to do something, even when you know it is the wrong thing to do. Below is the script from an animation played in schools during the week commencing 2nd March:
“Listen to that Feeling!”
Hello, I’m Jack and I’m ten years old. Let me tell you about yesterday.
I was walking to school with mum and I saw a big puddle. I thought it would be great to jump in and make a big splash. Mum said I shouldn’t do it because I’d get my clothes wet, but it looked like so much fun. I thought about it but then just jumped right in. Bad idea! The puddle was deeper than I thought, and the splash went everywhere, all up my trousers, my school bag and my homework.
Then at lunch time I had a nice meal: sausage, mash, peas and then jelly. I was nicely full. But then someone offered me some syrup sponge, mmm. My belly was full and seemed to be saying, “No, don’t eat it.” But it looked good and my mouth seemed to say “eat it”. So I ate it. Bad idea! It was tasty but I felt sick all afternoon.
And then in the evening before bedtime I was playing computer games and Dad asked me not to play for more than ten minutes. It was a good game though and I wanted to play more and more. I thought about turning it off and felt like I should, but it was so much fun I played for ages. Bad idea! I was so tired, but I couldn’t sleep for ages because the game kept going around my head!
I’ve decided that today when I get that feeling that maybe I shouldn’t do something, I think I’m going to listen to that feeling and not do it!
It is Written
Children learned in the same assembly that when Jesus was fasting in the desert, the devil came to Him and tempted Him to do things that God the Father didn’t want Him to do. But Jesus trusted in God and believed that what God wanted was best. Just like Jack learned to ‘listen to that feeling’ and say ‘no’ to it, every time Jesus was tempted by the devil, He said ‘NO’ and said a line from the Bible. Children learned that they too can trust in God’s word, and use it to help them resist temptation, just like Jesus did!
On the 5th March, we celebrated World Book Day and the power of stories to exhilarate and inspire.
“Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4: 1-11
Why not take a moment to read a Bible story with your child this week?
Dear God,
Jesus trusted in you, and I
choose to trust in you too.
Help me to say “NO” when I
am tempted to do something
that I know I shouldn’t.
Help me get to know you
better through your word,
the Holy Bible.
Amen
