milk & honey mamas

Story contributed by Kristen

Click here for the theological background of Luke 12-17; John 11

Remember, repetition helps children internalize and make connections. It might be a good idea to read the same story every day for a week. You can add different activities every day.

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Luke 12:6-7, NIV

Have you ever been lost? What did it feel like? 

Jesus knew that many of his loved ones felt lost a lot. They felt looked-over, invisible, and small. They felt like the traveler who was attacked by thieves and laid wounded in the dust, people passing by. 

Sometimes we feel too small to be noticed. We wonder if anyone will notice if we are missing. Jesus knew that his friends wondered that sometimes, and that we wonder that sometimes. He understood feeling lost, and confused, and lonely. One day, he told a story.

A mother had two daughters. One day, her younger daughter came to her and said, “mother, I want to go out on my own. I am tired of living here. I want to try my fortune in the great, grand world.” 

The mother looked at her daughter, and she saw that she was very determined. So though she was terribly sad to see her daughter go, she gave her daughter the money she needed.

This daughter was young, and she had not had a chance to learn very much. She went out into the world as confident and as sure as a lioness. But soon she found that things were much easier at home. It was hard to find food to eat, or a place to sleep, and people were not very kind to her. She found that she missed the ways of her family when she was among people who were so very new to her. She found that it was hard to save her money, and in fact, soon she was all out. She had nothing to eat, nowhere to stay, and no friends. She was all alone, and she was scared. Maybe, she thought, if I go back home my mother will help me again. Maybe I can start over. So she started the long journey back home, planning all the way what she would say to her mother.

Her mother was waiting for her. She knew that the world was sometimes very difficult to find your way in. She knew that it was hard to save money. She hoped her daughter would return if she needed help, and she was watching for her. When she saw her coming, she ran to meet her. She hugged her and kissed her and held her close and cried tears of joy. “I missed you so,” she cried, “my darling, I am so glad you are home.”

“Mother,” the daughter said, “I have been very foolish. I have wasted all of your money. I have nothing left. Let me come home and make up for my foolishness.”

“My child,” said the mother, “you are welcome here. You are my daughter. Tonight, we will celebrate your return.”

And they did. The mother hosted an enormous party, complete with a sumptuous feast, cakes, music, and dancing all night long. But the mother was so happy that her younger daughter was home, she forgot to look for her older daughter. The older daughter had never left. She had stayed at home, quiet and true, always doing what was asked of her. When the younger daughter came home after being so foolish and was welcomed with a party, the older daughter had had enough. She went to a quiet place, away from the party, and sat by herself. “No one sees me anyway,” she said to herself. “No matter how hard I try, it is never enough.”

Her mother came out and found her there. She was surprised to see her looking so upset. “My child,” said the mother, “what ever is the matter?” 

“Mother,” said the older daughter, “I have worked here for years, never complaining or asking for anything, and no one has ever thrown a party for me. My sister goes away and behaves like an absolute ninny and we’re celebrating her?” 

The mother realized that she had not really seen her older daughter. She sat down beside her. 

“My dear,” she said, “everything I have I want to share with you. But first, I must understand you.” 

And they started to talk.

…….

Jesus had a good friend named Lazarus. Lazarus was Mary and Martha’s brother, and all three of them loved Jesus. Jesus loved all three of them too. They often met together to eat, to talk, and to help other people. Martha was an excellent cook, and they loved to gather in her kitchen. 

But then Lazarus got sick. Really, really sick. Jesus was far away, traveling in another town. There were no phones or emails back then, so he heard the news of Lazarus’ sickness from another friend, who said, “I don’t know if he’s going to make it.” But Jesus did not seem worried. “I still have work to do here,” he said, and though his disciples were confused, they stayed with him. 

While Jesus was away, Lazarus got sicker and sicker. Mary and Martha stayed with him day and night. They took turns sleeping, changing the cool towel on Lazarus’ hot forehead, bringing tiny spoonfuls of soup to his lips, and rubbing his feet. Day by day, his face lost its color. He stopped speaking. He stopped eating. Mary and Martha brought flowers to cheer him up. They prayed at his bedside and recited the words of Jesus they had memorized. They told him stories of their childhood together, remembering the time they had run through the market chasing a dog, and the time they had eaten an entire loaf of bread straight from the oven. And day by day, as Lazarus got worse, they wondered where Jesus was. Mary and Martha looked at each other, and they said, “where is he? Why does he not come?”

And then, after the waiting and the praying and the hoping and the despairing, Lazarus took one last breath, and he died. Mary and Martha held his hands, and they cried with broken hearts, and they wondered why Jesus had not come. Gently, lovingly, they wrapped Lazarus’ body in white cloth. They placed his body in a tomb. And then they went home, and tried to sleep, and nibbled at bread, and remembered their brother.

Four days later, Jesus returned. As soon as he was back in town, the people told him what had happened. “Lazarus has been dead for four days,” they said, “you missed everything.” Jesus thought of Mary and Martha, and started to run. He was a long way away, and many people saw him. They told Mary and Martha that he had returned, and the sisters came out to meet him. As soon as they saw him, they both started to cry. “Oh Jesus,” said Martha, “where were you? If you had been here, our brother would have lived.” Mary didn’t say anything, but tears ran down her cheeks as she looked at the ground.

Jesus looked at them, and he thought of all they had been through, and he thought of Lazarus, and he covered his face with his hands and cried, and cried, and cried. He knew there were no words that could comfort Mary and Martha. He just reached out his arms, and the three of them sat down, and the women rested their heads on his shoulders, and they cried.

“Please,” said Jesus, “take me to the place he is buried.” Together, they went to Lazarus’ tomb. 

Jesus stood outside of the tomb and thought about his friend. He bowed his head. Then, he looked up, as though he had heard something. He seemed to listen for a moment. Then he said, “God, I know you always listen. Thank you. I have heard you.” Then, in a voice powerful but soft, he stretched out his hand and said, “Lazarus, come forth.”

A moment passed. Then another. Then, the door of the tomb moved, then rolled aside. Out from the tomb, covered in white and tired and wondering, came Lazarus. Lazarus, alive again.

Ideas for Play

Contributed by Kristen

The Lost Daughter/Son

• Discuss the story: how does it feel when someone listens to you? What does it mean to be lost? 

• Act it out! I play with gender to introduce more female characters, but the story has so many layers and ways to interpret from multiple angles and perspectives! Explore with your child(ren). 

• Play lost and found as a family. This could be as simple as a game of hide and seek, or as involved as a discussion of each person’s hopes and needs and what makes each family member feel seen.

• Draw a portrayal of the story, or a moment in the story (I strongly suggest not using coloring pages but rather relying on imagination! This allows so much freedom to explore and connect)
  

• Read “Treasure Hunt” and “Running Away” in The Jesus Storybook Bible
  
  

Raising Lazarus

• Discuss the story: Why did Jesus cry? What might Mary and Martha have felt? What do you think about the story? What parts stick out to you?

• Act it out! 

• Read “The Resurrection and the Life” in Moments with Jesus.

• Draw a portrayal of the story, or decorate your favorite verse of scripture

Poem

Lost it, Found it 

Lost It, Found It

Listen to the poet read it aloud. Have you ever lost any of the things the poet mentions? What does it feel like when you’ve found something that was lost? Sometimes when we feel like something is lost in our heart or in our life, it can be found where we least expect it. The poet found what she needed right in front of her! So the next time you feel lost, maybe what you need is right in front of you.

Art

Where is the returning son? Where is the son that stayed home? What is the father doing? How do you think the father feels? What is the son wearing? What  is the father wearing? Who do you think the other people are? What colors do you see? Where is this painting dark? Where is it light?

What is the father doing? What do you think the father is feeling? What do you think the son is feeling? What is the son wearing? What is the father wearing? Where is the painting dark? Where is it light? What colors do you see?

Where is Jesus? Where is Mary? Where is Lazarus? What do you think Jesus is doing? What do you think Mary is doing? What do you think each person is feeling? What kind of texture does this painting have (rough, smooth, soft, jagged?)

Where is Jesus? Where is Mary? Where is Lazarus? What do you think Jesus is doing? What do you think Lazarus is feeling? What colors do you see by Jesus? What colors do you see by Lazarus? Why do you think the artist used the colors he did? Where is the painting light? Where is it dark? 

Music

Go Get the Lost One, by Rain for Roots