Shine Like the Sun

Romans 8:38-39, New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

³⁸I am absolutely sure that not even death or life can separate us from God’s love. Not even angels or demons, the present or the future, or any powers can separate us. ³⁹Not even the highest places or the lowest, or anything else in all creation can separate us. Nothing at all can ever separate us from God’s love. That’s because of what Christ Jesus our Lord has done.

Children’s Message

Supplies:

• Carabiner or a clip found on metal water flask
• Coffee mug or something else to attach to clip
• Bible
  

Have you ever been separated from someone? Maybe you were at the store with an adult and the adult disappeared from you for just a moment. Maybe you went on a trip without someone and you missed that person terribly. How did you feel? Scared? Alone? Worried? When we are separated from people we love, we certainly may feel that way.

Paul’s letter to the Romans tells us that no matter what happens, nothing can separate us from the love that God has for us. He says that he is absolutely sure of this.

(Hold the carabiner in your hand.) How many of you have seen one of these? This is a carabiner. It is a clip that campers and hikers use. Many times, you will see someone on a ropes course or zipline clipped to the rope with a carabiner. Maybe you have seen someone use this as they rock climb. When people go camping, they may clip something they don’t want to lose to a carabiner. I can clip this to my belt loop, and because I love coffee, I clip my coffee mug to the carabiner. I can go for a hike (walk around). I can jump up and down (demonstrate jumping), and the mug doesn’t come off the clip. I love this carabiner because no matter what I do, nothing will separate my mug.

This carabiner reminds me of God’s love that Paul writes about. Nothing can separate God’s love for me. Reading from Romans (read from your Bible), “Not even the highest places or the lowest, or anything else in all creation can separate us. Nothing at all can ever separate us from God’s love.” How does it make you feel to know that no matter where you go, nothing can separate God’s love from you? (Allow children to respond.)

Prayer: God, remind us that you are always with us, no matter where we go. If we go to the highest mountain, you are with us. If we go to the bottom of the sea, you are with us. There is nowhere we can go that your love doesn’t go with us. Fill our hearts with the knowledge of your love. Amen.

New International Reader's Version (NIRV) Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.