Children's Message

Date: January 25, 2026

Scripture:

Psalm 27:1, 4–9

New International Reader's Version

A psalm of David

27 The Lord is my light, and he saves me.
Why should I fear anyone?
The Lord is my place of safety.
Why should I be afraid?

⁴ I’m asking the Lord for only one thing.
Here is what I want.
I want to live in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life.
I want to look at the beauty of the Lord.
I want to worship him in his temple.
⁵ When I’m in trouble,
he will keep me safe in his house.
He will hide me in the safety of his holy tent.
He will put me on a rock that is very high.
⁶ Then I will win the battle
over my enemies who are all around me.
At his holy tent I will offer my sacrifice with shouts of joy.
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
⁷ Lord, hear my voice when I call out to you.
Treat me with kindness and answer me.
⁸ My heart says, “Seek him!”
Lord, I will seek you.
⁹ Don’t turn your face away from me.
Don’t turn me away because you are angry.
You have helped me.
God my Savior, don’t say no to me.
Don’t desert me.

Object:

Lantern

Message:

Good morning, friends. Today, I want us to imagine a room that is so dark that you can’t see your toes or the chair next to you. Sometimes darkness can make us feel a little unsure or a little wiggly inside, maybe even a little scared. Now, imagine a tiny light turning on, just a little one, like the glow of a nightlight. Suddenly, the darkness doesn’t feel so big and scary anymore. The light helps you see, and you feel safer and braver.

This is what God’s light is like. The Bible tells us that God is our light and our help. That means we can carry God’s light with us wherever we go, at home, at school, on the playground, in our beds at night, and it helps us feel brave even when something feels hard or new.

I have a lantern to help light this space. (Show children the lantern.) Let’s pretend we’re all holding a small lantern in front of us. Hold your hands out like you’re carrying a glowing lantern. Imagine that this lantern is God’s love shining for you, helping you find your way, helping you feel strong.

Now imagine you’re walking along a path in the dark with your little lantern. With each step, the light goes with you. You are never alone. And your light helps other people feel brave too. When you give a smile, when you share, when you sit with someone who feels lonely, your lantern light spreads to them.

God loves to show us where God is working, and we can look for God every day. You can look for God in someone’s smile, in a person who helps you, or in someone who is kind to you. You can look for God when you hear beautiful music, when you see something amazing outside, or when you laugh with people you love.

Looking for God is like going on a happy mission. When you spend your time looking for God’s love and goodness, it helps your heart feel brave. And as you look for God, God’s light begins to shine in you, helping you share that light with others every day.

Let’s sing “This Little Light of Mine” to help us remember that God’s brave, steady light shines from our hearts, and we can carry it with us all the time. Point to your heart when we sing, “This little light of mine,” and then stretch your arms out to the world when we sing, “Let it shine.”

(Sing with motions.)

Let's pray.