Music: Lullaby

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INTRODUCTION

Knowing that someone cares about us completely and utterly means everything. There are many ways a loved one can express this to us, but we hope that each of our young people knows what it means to be held safe and secure; to feel someone else’s love, care and joy over them. This session explores what it means to experience Father God’s love, comparing the words of Zephaniah 3:17 to the lyrics of the song and helping the group to experi­ence in a more tangible way the love of our heavenly Father.

Before the session, create a cosy, relaxing setup, perhaps with beanbags and blankets, fairy lights or candles (if you are able to set these up safely!). Invite the young people to settle down, perhaps playing an energetic icebreaker game to burn off some energy!

Talk casually about what it means to get a good night’s sleep, feel relaxed and know how to deal with the things that worry us. Talk about what it means to feel safe, secure and loved. Discuss any issues raised at this point and encourage the young people to share honestly, while respectfully listening to one another. (Be aware of any safeguarding issues or concerns that may be raised here.)

TRACK: LULLABY

Play the track and provide copies of the lyrics for the group to follow. Ask the young people whether any of them remember their parents singing them a lullaby to help them sleep. Perhaps they themselves sang to a younger sibling. Discuss what it is so special about singing someone to sleep. What happy memories do they have? What feelings do they link to this idea?

Distribute Bibles and look at Zephaniah 3:17 together. Talk about what image the passage paints in people’s minds, knowing that Father God sings over us. You could perhaps explore this idea by providing a selection of craft materials and inviting the young people to paint a picture or create a collage to represent this verse. Or you could just have a time of discussion.

Replay the song, taking another look at the lyrics, and ask the group how the words change in meaning when we use them to understand Zephaniah 3:17. Ask your group to pull out any lines that speak particularly powerfully in light of this. Are there any lines that don’t apply to this idea? How does it make them feel to know that God sings over them?

As you draw the session to a close, create a space where your young people can bring their own prayers to God. Pray for any particu­lar issues raised through the discussions and thank God that his love for us is so great he rejoices over us with singing.