Devotion – When things look bleak

Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you (1 Kings 19:7).

Have you ever been in a place of mind where things look bleak? When you feel that you are spent? Where it is all too much?

In today’s reading, we meet Elijah in a very dark moment in his life.

In the chapter before this, he had been involved in a dramatic and persuasive demonstration of God’s power, as people were challenged to really think about God. He then signaled the end of a long drought and, surging with strength from God, outran the king’s horses from Mt Carmel to Jezreel. Confident in God and his power, he would have been feeling pretty good, wouldn’t you say?

A few short verses later, we find him afraid and on the run himself. Full of despair, he pours his heart out to God, telling him he has had enough!

God responds with compassion and care as he assigns an angel to feed Elijah. Nourished and strengthened, Elijah was sustained for a further 40 days and nights. The angel came to Elijah twice and encouraged him to eat and drink. This indicates that God was fully aware of Elijah’s physical and mental state of being. He knew his frailty and limitations and made sure that Elijah received what was needed.

There are times when feelings get the better of us. Circumstances fluctuate. Even though we know in our head that God is fully capable of meeting our needs, we react faithlessly to what is happening. Our desire to be in control is challenged, but perhaps it is in these times the bigger picture comes into focus. God loves us and has a strong desire to live in constant relationship with us. Why not hand our emotions to the one who knows us most and loves us best, and rest in him? He can and will meet all our needs.

Dear Heavenly Father, you know us more completely than we know ourselves. Help us to remember this and rest in your arms of love. You are our faithful provider. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Prayer Points

We give thanks that we can rely on God to help us through tough times

We pray that God may grant peace and patience to students, parents and staff during another remote learning period

We pray for the vulnerable people in our community and ask that God would protect and comfort them

We pray for the Lyno, More and Ngamokopuna-Viran families

Micah Award

To Zerika for demonstrating service and quality in her remote learning

To Eirin for demonstrating service and quality in her remote learning

Stage 4 Restrictions

As you would be aware, the Victorian Government has imposed Stage 4 restrictions on Metropolitan Melbourne, which includes Sunshine Christian School. The aim of the Stage 4 restrictions is to drive down the number of COVID-19 infections by restricting community movement. As a community, the responsibility to achieve this falls on each and every one of us. It is important that we abide by these restrictions and do not leave our homes unless it is absolutely necessary. The less movement around the community, the safer our staff, students and families will be.

A few key points to remember:

• Stay at home if at all possible.
• Stay within 5km from home for shopping and exercise. Only one person per household may go shopping once per day.
• Everyone must wear a mask when they leave home, unless an exception applies.
• Only permitted workers are allowed to work on site at a workplace
• Students are to learn at home during these restrictions
• If you need your child to learn on site at school, you must be eligible to do this and have filled in an ‘On Site Parent’ form. The form can be obtained from the school.

This is a very difficult time for us all and I would like to thank all the parents and staff who have been so compliant with the restrictions. Through this difficult time we are reassured that God will walk with us, beside us and carry us when it is needed. The staff wish all the students and families God’s strength and mercy during this uncertain time.

Prep/ 1

In the Prep/1 classroom we are graphing sight words.

You can remind us to count the words carefully so we can represent the numbers accurately.

Year 2/3

In the Year 2/3 classroom we are learning to be confident in telling the time to the minute and to the quarter hour on both analogue and digital clocks. You can help your child with telling these times.

Year 3/4

In the Year 3/4 classroom we have been learning about different division strategies to help us solve problems! We can use repeated subtraction as a way to divide and share amounts.

Year 5/ 6

In the Year 5/6 classroom we are learning about 12 and 24 hour time.

You can help us by asking us the time in both 12 and 24 hour time.