Family Worship (March 22)

Have you ever tried to run while looking the wrong way? Imagine running a race, but instead of looking ahead, you keep looking down at your feet or turning around to see who is behind you. You would probably trip, slow down, or even fall. Running works best when your eyes are focused on where you are going.

Life can feel like that sometimes. We get distracted. We worry about problems, think about mistakes we made, or just feel really tired. The Bible says we can “grow weary and lose heart.” That means we feel like giving up.

In today’s passage, God teaches us something important: the way to keep going is to fix our eyes on Jesus. That means we trust him as our Savior who forgives our sins, and we follow him as our Lord who leads our lives. When we look to Jesus, he gives us strength to keep running the race of life.

Hebrews 12:1–3 (NIV)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Discussion Questions

• What are some things that distract us or make us feel tired in our walk with God?
• What does it mean to “fix your eyes on Jesus”? How can we do that as a family?
• What is one sin or habit that might be “entangling” you, and what is one step you can take to turn from it this week?

Activity: “The Tangled Race”
You will need: a piece of string or yarn. Have one person try to walk or lightly jog across the room while you loosely wrap string around their legs (not too tight or unsafe). Let everyone see how hard it is to move when they are tangled up.

Then remove the string and have them try again. Ask: Which was easier?

Now connect it to the Bible: Sin is like that string—it tangles us and makes life harder. Jesus helps us “throw off” sin so we can run freely.

Prayer
Lord, thank you for sending Jesus to save us from our sins. We confess that we often get distracted and tired. Help us to fix our eyes on Jesus every day. Show us the sin we need to throw off, and give us strength to keep running the race you have set before us. Help our family to follow you together. Amen.

Memory Work:

New City Catechism
11. What does God require in the sixth, seventh, and eighth commandments?
Sixth, that we do not hurt or hate our neighbor. Seventh, that we live purely and faithfully. Eighth, that we do not take without permission that which belongs to someone else.

Memory Verse
Hosea 13:4 (CSB)
"I have been the Lord your God
ever since[a] the land of Egypt;
you know no God but me,
and no Savior exists besides me."