Sea Serpent, Going Beyond Memorizing Bible Verses With Kids & A Free Study Guide!
Recently, I was thinking about ways I could get my little guys to think more visually about the Bible verses we are learning. After reading 1 Peter 5:8, I wrote this poem as a visual so that they could understand our need to be alert to temptation and our enemy’s desire to devour us. The good news is that the devil is “like” a lion, but he is only a deceiver. Jesus is the TRUE Lion of Judah and He gives us victory!
Share this poem with your kids and see if they can draw a mental picture of these “fish” and which one they would want to be! Older kids can identify rhetorical devices that are used and how they add emphasis and clarity to the meaning of the verse. Enjoy!
SEA SERPENT
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
Bobbing along without a care taking up space in the brook.
The lure is cast, the enemy fast, devouring with barely a look.
Floating above, all is well, breezing atop the stream.
The lure is cast, the enemy fast, engulfing his prey in dream.
Coasting languid unaware, wafting within the canal.
The lure is cast, the enemy fast, gorging indeed, he shall.
Drifting down in peaceful rest, coursing down the river.
The lure is cast, the enemy fast, gulping with evil shiver.
Surging upstream, eyes alert, pursuing the valley-pond shelter.
The lure is cast, the enemy fast, left empty to try for another.
May all of us be like the fish in the final stanza, eyes alert as we pursue the path that God has set before us and may we escape the serpent’s pursuit, growing spiritually as passionate Christ-followers!
STUDY QUESTIONS:
Who are the fish in each of these stanzas?
Who is the enemy?
Identify the words that describe the way the fish are swimming.
What rhetorical devices are used in this poem and what is the effect?
What does 1 Peter reveal to us about the Devil?
How can a young person or an adult stay alert?
Why does the Devil want to devour us?
What verses tell us about God's plan for our lives that is the opposite of the Devil's plans for us?
Do we need to be afraid of the Devil? Why or why not?
What does the Bible say about victory over the Devil?
YOUR TURN! Pointing our kids to Jesus is not always easy. Is it a struggle to teach your kids Spiritual Truths? Do you have a loved one who seems to be swimming in the wrong direction? How can I pray for you today?