It’s time to add a little bit to the memory verse! How is everybody doing with it? My kids are doing fantastic. Well, my 6-year-old and my 5-year-old are. The 3-year-old is as stubborn as ever.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.”
If the memorization pace is too fast or too slow for your child, then don’t hesitate to tailor it to their needs. There’s no shame in going at your own pace! It is one of the beauties of homeschooling.
If this is way too easy for your child then maybe try moving a little faster. When they get through the first 5 verses they can add the next one, and so on and so forth.
If your child is struggling, it is better to slow down. They will feel a sense of accomplishment to recite one verse. However, if they are pushed to the point of extreme frustration, they will only feel like they have failed! There is no failure in reading and studying God’s word.
18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
Luke 1:18-25, NIV
What should you teach them?
Here’s what I tell my kids:
- In yesterday’s reading, the angel told Zechariah that he would have a son named John.
- Zechariah doesn’t believe the angel because he and his wife are old and have never been able to have children.
- The angel tells Zechariah that his name is Gabriel. Gabriel tells Zechariah that God himself gave him this message. Would an angel who stands in the presence of God tell Zechariah a lie about what God said?
- The angel tells Zechariah that since he didn’t believe the message, he would not be able to talk until after John was born!
- The people who were praying outside the temple started to get worried about Zechariah because he had been in there a long time.
- When Zechariah came out he couldn’t talk! The people figured he must have seen something very strange and holy. He kept trying to explain to them what he saw by making motions with his hands, but they couldn’t really figure out what he was trying to say.
- When his turn of serving in the temple came to an end, Zechariah went back home to his wife.
- Just like the angel said, Elizabeth became pregnant! Elizabeth was very happy to be having a baby because she had always wanted to have children.
- Now is a good time to pray. Today my 5-year-old lead the prayer. You know, since she was so disappointed the 6-year-old “won” the straw drawing yesterday. Today she thanked God for making all the animals because she loves them all. You never what kids are going to pray for. I love it.