Family Worship (Jan 19)
Have you ever made a mistake or done something wrong and someone forgave you, even though you didn’t deserve it? That feels amazing, doesn’t it? It’s a picture of how God loves us. He loves us so much that He forgives all our sins through Jesus. In today’s devotional, we’ll learn about the greatest commandments: to love God with everything we have and to love others as ourselves. But there’s good news—the ability to love this way comes from experiencing God’s incredible love for us first.
Mark 12:29–31
“The most important commandment,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Jesus tells us to love God with everything we are and to love our neighbor as ourselves. But if we’re honest, this isn’t easy. We forget, we make mistakes, and sometimes we’re selfish. The truth is, none of us can love perfectly. That’s why Jesus came.
God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to live the perfect life we couldn’t live and to die for our sins. When we trust in Him, we’re forgiven and filled with His love. This changes everything! The more we experience God’s forgiveness and grace, the more we’ll want to love Him and others. Loving God and our neighbor isn’t about trying harder; it’s about letting God’s love change our hearts and flow through us.
Activity:
“Forgiveness in Action”
Materials Needed: A mirror and a dry-erase marker (or sticky notes).
Gather as a family and write words on the mirror or notes that represent sins or mistakes (e.g., “selfishness,” “unkind words,” “not listening,” etc.).
Talk about how these things make it hard to love God and others perfectly.
Now, read aloud 1 John 4:19: “We love because He first loved us.”
As you reflect on God’s forgiveness, erase the words or remove the notes, reminding everyone that Jesus has wiped away all our sins.
End by brainstorming ways to respond to God’s love this week (e.g., showing kindness, forgiving someone, sharing Jesus with a friend).
Prayer:
Dear God, thank You for loving us even when we fall short. Thank You for sending Jesus to forgive our sins and to show us how to love. Help us to love You with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Fill us with Your love so that we can share it with others. Teach us to forgive, be kind, and grow in love every day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Memory Work
New City Catechism:
3. How many persons are there in God?
There are three persons in one God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 145:8–9 (ESV)
The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.
Mark 12:29–31
“The most important commandment,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Jesus tells us to love God with everything we are and to love our neighbor as ourselves. But if we’re honest, this isn’t easy. We forget, we make mistakes, and sometimes we’re selfish. The truth is, none of us can love perfectly. That’s why Jesus came.
God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to live the perfect life we couldn’t live and to die for our sins. When we trust in Him, we’re forgiven and filled with His love. This changes everything! The more we experience God’s forgiveness and grace, the more we’ll want to love Him and others. Loving God and our neighbor isn’t about trying harder; it’s about letting God’s love change our hearts and flow through us.
Activity:
“Forgiveness in Action”
Materials Needed: A mirror and a dry-erase marker (or sticky notes).
Gather as a family and write words on the mirror or notes that represent sins or mistakes (e.g., “selfishness,” “unkind words,” “not listening,” etc.).
Talk about how these things make it hard to love God and others perfectly.
Now, read aloud 1 John 4:19: “We love because He first loved us.”
As you reflect on God’s forgiveness, erase the words or remove the notes, reminding everyone that Jesus has wiped away all our sins.
End by brainstorming ways to respond to God’s love this week (e.g., showing kindness, forgiving someone, sharing Jesus with a friend).
Prayer:
Dear God, thank You for loving us even when we fall short. Thank You for sending Jesus to forgive our sins and to show us how to love. Help us to love You with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Fill us with Your love so that we can share it with others. Teach us to forgive, be kind, and grow in love every day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Memory Work
New City Catechism:
3. How many persons are there in God?
There are three persons in one God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 145:8–9 (ESV)
The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.
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