Splink | Death of a Loved One

Remember…

It’s not easy to know what to say when someone dies, but it can be very comforting to talk about the one who died. Show an item that belonged to the loved one or an item that was a gift from the loved one. Tell why the item is special. Ask each family member to share a memory or something special about the loved one.

Why are we sad when people die? (We can no longer be with that person; we will miss him/her; etc.) It is okay to be sad when someone dies. It is okay to cry. It is okay to talk about and remember the good times with that person.

What’s Missing

Gather the following items and put them in a bag (a plastic bag is fine as long as you can’t see through it).

• tissue (to represent no more tears)
• flashlight (to represent no more night/darkness)
• medicine or pain reliever (to represent no more pain or sickness)
• fake flower (to represent death)
• bag or pillowcase (to hold the items)

When someone we love has died and gone to Heaven, it is good to think about all he/she is experiencing. One of the best things about Heaven is what will NOT be there. Inside this bag are four things which represent four things that will NOT be in Heaven (Revelation 21:4, 23).

Take turns letting a child touch one of the items in the bag to try to guess what it is and what it represents. As you pull each one out, talk about how wonderful it will be NOT to have these in Heaven.

Heaven is a wonderful place where there will be no crying, no darkness, no pain or sickness, and no more death!

Better Than I Can Imagine

While driving in the car, play “I’m thinking of something in Heaven.” Give them clues if they are slow to guess it. (An example: Mansion—it’s big, it has lots of rooms, God promised to make one for me.) Take turns letting others think of something in Heaven and try to guess it. THEN do the flip side—“I’m thinking of something NOT in Heaven (no sickness, no sin, no  tears, no death, no sadness, no devil, no night, etc).

Optional: Let the kids draw a picture of what they think Heaven will be like. Read Revelation 21:10—22:5 to find out what will and won’t be there.

Some day all who believe in Jesus will be together in Heaven. Heaven is the most wonderful place you can imagine! God will be there and He is preparing something too wonderful to describe—a beautiful mansion, a tree of life, a crystal river, a street of gold, and a special dinner. Say a prayer to thank God for His promise of Heaven.