Magic Eye 4th Sunday before Lent

This is a copy of a children's assembly which can also be used for a family service in Lent

MAGIC EYE ASSEMBLY: (I DON’T SEE IT!)

** GIVE OUT MAGIC EYE PICTURES TO AS MANY CHILDREN AS YOU CARE TO (or just give them to the first class to arrive in assembly) BEFORE TALK: AND INVITE THEM TO TRY TO SEE A 3 D PICTURE WITHIN THE PICTURE BEFORE THEM. THIS WILL GIVE THEM TIME TO STUDY THE PICTURES PROPERLY. (The term 3D may have to be explained.)

Talk:-

* There are those who say ‘I can’t see God!’ when they hear of earthquakes or big waves (TSUNAMIS) covering the land or mudslides where people die.

* There are those who say, ’Where is God?’ when a country goes to war and bombs are dropped causing suffering and pain.

* There are those who say, ‘God where are you?’ When they (or a close family member) becomes ill and they become lost and frightened.

* When people want to do something wrong, they convince themselves God’s not there and he’s not watching, and so they ask ‘WHY NOT??’

JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE MAKE THESE STATEMENTS AND ASK THESE QUESTIONS, IT DOESN’T MEAN THAT GOD IS NOT THERE!

What about Wind? Love? Fragrance? You can’t actually see them.

I want to show you…

a) SOME MAGIC EYE PICTURES,

Ask the children who by this time can SEE something 3D, to indicate it by raising their hands. Those, who can’t see the images now must follow directions as to how best we can discover them.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) RELAX: CONCENTRATE  and ABOVE ALL LISTEN.

2) COME CLOSE: (Put card on nose and move it slowly away)

3)LOOK THROUGH AND BEYOND. (allow your eyes to cross slightly)

DON’T WORRY IF YOU CAN’T SEE A 3D PICTURE. SOME PEOPLE HAVE TO WAIT A VERY LONG TIME TO BE ABLE TO DO IT…AND THEN THEY DO SEE IT!

So too we must RELAX, CONCENTRATE and LISTEN (to reason) and ask ourselves are tsunamis and wars and sin and illness and fear ~ God’s fault or our fault? EXPAND on our misuse of the planet , global warming, the earth overheating, fighting and greed, anger hate; illness through dirty habits, insecticides, drugs etc.,

Then God asks us to COME CLOSE to Him, ‘When you seek him, you shall find him, when you seek for him with all your heart’ (Jeremiah 29.13) Why not ask questions about other’s faith instead of ridiculing them.

When we learn to LOOK THROUGH AND BEYOND, away from ourselves to God, we begin to see him in other people. ( The effects like the wind, love etc., As we love and serve other people we begin to know something of God’s love and joy and his presence.