Scripture Reading: Psalm 46
Memory Verse: “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
Prayer:
Dear God,
You are our place of safety. You give us strength.
We pray for people who have experienced their piece of the earth falling apart–people in Moore, Oklahoma and other devastated places.
Be their place of safety. Be their strength.
As they mourn those who have died. As they recover from injuries. As they clean up and rebuild.
Be their place of safety. Be their strength.
We pray for those in the midst of war and other violence.
Be their place of safety. Be their strength.
We pray for ourselves, that we would be still and know that you are God. That we would not be afraid.
You are our place of safety. You give us strength.
Amen.
Thoughts on the Scripture:
Our Monday liturgies usually focus on an upcoming lectionary reading. This week I chose to use Psalm 46 instead because it speaks to the tragic tornado that occurred last week in Moore, Oklahoma. Maybe your children have been asking questions about the event. Maybe you have.
Questions like, “Why did it happen?” and “What if there is a tornado here?” and “What happened to the children who died?”
We won’t have complete answers to these questions this side of heaven, but this Psalm can help us address them. The person who wrote this Psalm had probably witnessed floods, and possibly earthquakes. Yet still the psalmist writes this song with a chorus that says, “The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our safe place.”
We do not know why tragedies and natural disasters happen; we do know that God is with us in the midst of them. We can, and should, have safety plans in place, but we cannot predict what will happen in the future, nor can we guarantee our children’s safety; we are called to trust in God as our refuge and strength and to somehow not be afraid. We might not know exactly what happened to the children who died, but we can assure our children (and ourselves) that those children are now and forever with God, who loves them very much.
Suggested Activity: Psalm Mad-Lib
God is our (1) and strength.
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though (2) ;
and (3) ,
though (4)
and (5) .
God makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the (6) and shatters the (7) ,
he burns the (8) with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
Key:
1. someplace that you feel safe
2-5: scary things that might happen
6-8: weapons
Spiritual Practice: Making and Sending Cards
Talk together about someone your family knows who is going through a difficult, scary time. Make this person a card to remind them that God is with them and that you care about them too. Pray for this person and then mail or hand deliver the card.
Practicing Families 
I loved this idea of a mad-lib psalm so much that I used it in our congregational worship this past Sunday to great joy in the congregation – especially the children. We used Psalm 96. I asked the congregation (especially the children) to tell me 1) a describing word for something you really like, 2)a really big number, 3) something you say when you’re really excited or happy, 4) a loud noise 5-8; 11) something God made in creation, 9-10) something you do for fun. The following is what resulted.
Sing GOD a brand-new song! Earth and everyone in it, sing!
Sing to GOD—worship GOD!
For GOD is yummy and exciting! (1)
and worth a thousand million(2) ‘Yay’s and ‘Awesome’s (3)
GOD made the universe — Royal splendor radiates from God,
Who is set apart by a powerful beauty
Bravo, GOD, Bravo! Everyone join in the great BOOM! BANG! (4)
Get out the message—GOD Rules!
Let’s hear it from houses and people (5),
with mountains (6) joining in,
And a huge round of applause from the dirt and the earth (7).
Let sheep, cows, hippos and chickens (8,9)
animals, come make noise, come play (10)
Put every animal (11) in the choir—
An extravaganza before GOD
Great idea. Thanks!!