This is an object lesson using $7 in real or play money to teach children the importance of spending time with God every day. The suggested Bible verse to reinforce the teaching is Proverbs 3:6. This article gives a suggested breakdown but feel free to adjust it according to the children you minister to.
Lesson:
Today we’re going to talk about how you can spend more time with God. To help with that, I have $7 and each dollar is going to represent 1 hour. Part of the time you spend each week is in church, Sunday School, and mid-week service so let’s set aside three dollars for that.
Now, let’s think about some things you can do by yourself to spend time with God. First, it’s a good idea to read your Bible every day, but that doesn’t mean you need to spend hours doing it. If you haven’t been reading it every day, start off with a small amount of time and add to it little by little. For instance, if you were to read just ten minutes a day, six days a week, that would be an hour spent with God. (Hold up another dollar.) Start with the book of Mark or John and read for ten minutes. The next day start where you left off and read for ten minutes, and so on.
When you read the Bible, God talks to you. What do we call it when you talk to God? Prayer, that’s right. It’s also a good idea to talk to God. If you were to spend ten minutes a day praying at least six days a week, how much time would you have? Another hour, that’s right. (Show the fifth dollar.) That gives us two hours per week with God in a way that everyone one of us can do. You can find ten minutes to read and ten minutes to pray each day without any problem.
That’s a good start, but we can do better. The Bible tells us in Psalm 119:11 that if we hide God’s word in our hearts, it will help us to not sin. An easy way to memorize a verse is to copy it onto a 3×5 card. Then on the first day, read it through (out loud if possible) three or four times. Then quote as much as you can and read the rest. Do that until you’ve read the verse ten times.
The next day, pull out your card, quote as much as you can and read the rest. Do that ten times. Do that every day for a week and by the end of the week you’ll probably find that you are quoting the verse ten times instead of reading it. That will give you another hour per week with God. (Show another dollar.)
We’ve mentioned talking to God. He actually wants us to talk with him more than once a day. Here’s my challenge to you on how you can spend more time talking with God all through the day.
– Before you get up in the morning, take one minute to thank God for something he’s done.
– While getting ready for school, take one minute to pray for your parents and siblings.
– While going to school, take one minute to pray for your bus driver or a friend who doesn’t know Jesus.
– Before your first class take one minute to pray for your teacher and for God to help you to listen well in class.
– While in the lunch line, take one minute to thank God for something he has done.
– Before your first class after lunch, take one minute to pray for your teacher or classmates, and ask God to help you listen well.
– On your way home from school, take one minute to thank God for what you learned that day and pray for your bus driver.
– Before starting your homework, take one minute to ask God for his help.
– When you’re getting ready for bed, take one minute to pray that God will continually help you draw closer to him.
– When you get in bed, take one minute to thank God for the day he gave you.
If you pray those ten times every day, you’ll have another hour of time spent with God every week. That gives us seven hours which averages an hour a day spent with God.
Also, if you do that, you have a wonderful promise from God found in Proverbs 3:6. (Read or quote the verse.) When you take a minute to talk to God about school work, or praying for a lost friend, or asking for God’s help, you are acknowledging him. His promise is that he will direct your paths. He will guide you and show you what to do. Isn’t that a great promise? Will you choose to spend more time with God this week?
