Hey disciple-making parents! The end of the school year is almost here, and it’s a great time to pause and talk with your kids about what it looks like to finish well. Not just in school, but in faith and character too. This month’s discussion is built around an important image in the New Testament: the idea that we are running a race and that Jesus is the one we fix our eyes on to reach the finish line. I hope this leads to some important conversations in your home.
Bible Focus
Hebrews 12:1–2 (ESV) – “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Devotionals Thoughts
The writer of Hebrews gives us a picture of the Christian life as a race. Not a sprint, but a long run that requires endurance. And we don’t run it alone. We’re surrounded by a cloud of witnesses of all the faithful people who ran before us and finished well.
But the most important part of running well isn’t how fast we go or how hard we try. It’s where we fix our eyes. The passage tells us to look to Jesus, the one who ran His own race perfectly, endured the cross, and is now seated at the right hand of God.
As the school year wraps up, it’s worth asking your family: what things are slowing us down? What does it look like to keep our eyes on Jesus and finish this season strong, not just in school, but in faith and character too?
Discussion Questions
What do you think it means that the Christian life is like a race?
What are some things that might slow a runner down, and what might those look like in our faith?
Who are some people in your life who have shown you what it looks like to finish strong?
What does it mean to fix our eyes on Jesus when things get hard?
As we finish this school year, what is one thing you need Jesus’ help to do well in the weeks ahead?
Try This
Go outside as a family and run a short race together, whether it’s around the block or just to the end of the driveway and back. Afterward, sit together and read Hebrews 12:1–2 again. Talk about what it felt like to run and how that connects to the way God calls us to live. Then close by praying together and asking God to help your family finish strong.
Family Prayer
Father, thank You for the race You have set before us. Help our family lay aside anything that slows us down and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. Give us the endurance to finish this season strong in faith, in character, and in love for You. Amen.
Take the Next Step
Start a Simple Family Bible Study Today
Want an easy way to open God’s Word with your kids?
Download Family Bible Study Made Simple: A Romans 3 Quick-Start Guide—a free, printable resource to help you explain sin, grace, and the gospel in a way your kids can understand.
Additional Resources
Finish the School Year Strong as a Family
10 Bible Verses for the End of the School Year
Building a Realistic Family Bible Study Routine
Free Bible Coloring Pages for Kids
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