Pause for Thought: Where Is the Power?

God’s power within us

by Kirstine Davis

Suitable for Whole School (Pri)

Aims

To consider how powerful God is and how we can connect to him.

Preparation and materials

• You will need a mobile phone, a charging cable and a plug.

Assembly

1. Show the mobile phone to the children.
   
   Ask the children why mobiles are so important to people. Discuss how people use phones to keep in touch with others by calls and texts. A phone can also function as a map and a torch, and we can use them to play games and access the Internet. In many ways, they seem essential to our lives.
   
   
2. Ask the children how the mobile phone keeps working. If possible, remove the casing on the back of the phone to reveal the battery. Explain that the phone only works if the battery inside it is charged.
   
   Show the charging cable and plug to the children.
   
   Explain how a phone is charged and that a phone must be connected regularly to a power supply to make it work.
   
   
3. Explain that a mobile phone represents our lives in some ways. In our lives, we can connect with others, have fun with them, listen to music and play games. Sometimes, we can become run down, though, and we need to recharge ourselves. People have different ways of recharging themselves: some go on holiday, some exercise and others relax in different ways.
   
   Ask the children how they like to relax and rest.
   
   Listen to a range of responses.
   
   
4. Point out that Christians believe that it is important for them to spend time with God if they are going to be recharged. Prayer is a bit like the charging cable, connecting people to God. We can liken the plug to the Bible, which Christians use to learn about God and connect with him.
   
   In the UK, plugs usually have three pins. These could link to the three elements of God, the Holy Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Christians believe that prayer and reading the Bible are important if God is to recharge them.
   
   
5. Explain that you are now going to tell a story about a time when Jesus was on earth and showed his power. It’s an interactive story, so there are some actions for the children to perform when they hear certain words.
   
   - When they hear the word ‘tired’, they should yawn.
   - When they hear the word ‘boat’, they should act out rowing a boat.
   - When they hear the word ‘sleep’, they should put two hands under their head as a pillow.
   - When they hear the word ‘waves’, they should move their hands in a wave-like motion.
   - When they hear the word ‘wind’, they should make swirling actions and blow hard.
   
   The words are in bold in the following story.
   
   
6. Jesus Calms the Storm
   
   The disciples were tired. No, they were very tired. In fact, they were exhausted! All day, crowds of people had been following Jesus, listening as he taught and watching as he healed the sick. Now the sun was beginning to set over the Sea of Galilee. Seeing how tired his disciples were, Jesus said, ‘Let’s get in a boat and go over to the other side of the lake.’ He thought it would be good for all of them to get away from the crowds for a while.
   
   The disciples rowed away from the shore while Jesus went to the front of the boat and lay down on a cushion. The waves lapped gently against the side of the boat, lulling Jesus into a peaceful sleep.
   
   Suddenly, a wind began to blow dark clouds across the sky. The waves were not so gentle any more. The little boat began to pitch and rock. The disciples began to get a little worried. (Show me a worried face!) However, Jesus continued to lie sleeping at the front of the boat.
   
   The wind grew stronger still. The spray from the waves got the disciples wet. This was getting to be a bad storm! (Allow the children to escalate, and then pause them.) However, Jesus continued to sleep.
   
   By the time the fishing boat reached the centre of the lake, the wind had turned into an angry gale. It whipped the waves so high, they washed right over the side of the boat. The disciples were terrified. (Show me a frightened face!) They thought they were going to drown. However, Jesus continued to sleep.
   
   Finally, one of them went and shook him awake. ‘Master,’ they cried, ‘don’t you care if we drown?’ Jesus looked around. He listened to the howling wind. He felt the cold waves as they crashed over the little boat and he saw how frightened his disciples were. Jesus stood up and shouted, ‘STOP! Peace! Be still!’
   
   All at once, everything was calm! The wind died down and the waves became completely calm. The disciples were amazed at Jesus’ power and probably a little scared of him. They said to each other, ‘Who is this man, that even the wind and the waves obey him?’

Time for reflection

Ask the children to think about the question that the disciples in the boat asked each other: ‘Who is this man who has the power to stop the waves?’

Ask the children to think of some people whom they consider to be powerful. Examples could be a teacher, a parent, the Queen, the prime minister and so on.

Point out that no matter how powerful these people are, they don’t have the power to change the weather or power over nature.

Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you that you made the world and everything in it.
Thank you that despite your power, you still love everyone in the world.
Please help us to take care of your world.
Please help us to be full of love for others.
Please help us to spend time connecting with you.
Amen.