Control. Wouldn’t most of us like more control over the circumstances in our lives? Maybe that remote control that could stop everything and rewind so we could do something over again? Maybe more control over the choices of others so our lives would be a little less difficult? The truth is, we don’t have that kind of control. The Bible clearly teaches us, however, that God is in control of everything and that He is always with us. That is Good News! The kids in Starting Blocks learned those truths this week as they heard the story of God calling Moses. Dig into the following activities with your kids this week and remind yourself how wonderful it is to trust the One who is in control of everything.
HIGHLIGHTS from Sunday…
This week your child learned about Moses. The Israelites were living in Egypt where they were working as slaves. A wicked king named Pharaoh commanded to have every Hebrew baby boy killed. Moses’ mother put him in a basket and put him in the Nile River to try to save his life. Pharaoh’s daughter saw the basket floating and decided to keep Moses as her son. When Moses grew up, he left Egypt and worked as a shepherd in the desert. One day, as he was walking, he saw a bush on fire, but it was not burned up. When he went to investigate the burning bush, he heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Moses! Moses!” Moses answered, “Here I am! Who is there?” The Lord answered, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” God told Moses that He had heard the cries of His people, the Israelites, and He would use Moses to bring them out of Egypt to a land flowing with milk and honey. God told Moses to tell the Israelites that “I AM” sent him. God referred to Himself as “I AM” because He is the one true God and there are no other gods besides him. God had an amazing plan for Moses. God is in control of everything. Moses was scared to return to Egypt, but God promised Moses that he would not be alone. God said, “I will be with you.” God is always with us.
Teaching Truth:
1. God is in control of everything.
2. God is ALWAYS with us.
Memory Verse:
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9 (NASB)
Here’s a simple song to help your child (and you) memorize this week’s memory verse!
3 Activities that remind us that God is ALWAYS with us:
1. Burning Bush
Tell your child you are going to create a burning bush. Trace your child’s hand onto a piece of brown paper to be the branches. Tear up pieces of red, orange, or yellow construction paper or tissue paper and have him glue the small pieces onto the “branches” to be the fire of the bush. Help your child write “I AM” on the paper and talk about how God calls Himself that to Moses because He is the one true God.
2. Baby Moses' Basket
During snack time, help your child create Moses in a basket using food. Cut an apple in half and put peanut butter or honey on it so it is sticky enough to carry “baby Moses.” Use a grape, blueberry, or small marshmallow (whatever you have) to be baby Moses and then place a cheerio as his head. For the river, mix cream cheese and a little blue food coloring together and smear it on a large graham cracker. Place baby Moses in his basket on the graham cracker, so Moses can float down the river.
TALK it out...
Using the snack, ask your child to tell you the story of Moses. Questions you can ask:
- Who put Moses in a basket? (his mother)
- Why was Moses put in a basket? (Pharaoh told everyone to kill all the baby boys)
- Who found Moses and kept him as her son? (Pharaoh’s daughter)
- What did Moses do after he left Egypt? (became a shepherd)
3. Memory Music Shaker
Using a toilet paper tube, beans, paper, and tape; create an instrument to practice the memory verse song together. Let your child decorate the toilet paper tube, and two pieces of paper big enough to cover the holes at the end. Then tape one piece of paper to the end, and pour beans into the tube. Tape the other piece of paper over the opposite end. Now it’s me to make some music and sing God’s word together!
Pray
God, you have an amazing plan for us. Just like Moses, help me to trust you even when it seems hard. You are the one true God. Thank you for always being with us. We love you. Amen.