God has amazing plans for each of us. He wants to bless us in ways we can’t even imagine! In spite of our own brokenness and doubt, God loves us with a passion and we are called to trust Him and ask him for help when needed. As you explore and enjoy these activities with your kids this week, share with your kids in simple ways how you see God working in your daily life.
HIGHLIGHTS from Sunday…
This week your child learned that Isaac and Rebekah have two sons; twins, Esau and Jacob. Jacob tricks Esau into giving him his “birthright” and tricks his father, Isaac, into giving him Esau’s blessing. To protect Jacob from Esau’s anger, Isaac and Rebekah send him away to live with his uncle, Laban. On the way, Jacob has a dream. The Lord appears at the top of a ladder reaching up to heaven and God confirms the promise He made to Jacob’s father Isaac and his grandfather Abraham. Jacob makes plans to reconcile with Esau, but is fearful of Esau’s response and prays for God’s protection. The night before Jacob is reunited with Esau, he wrestles with the Angel of the Lord and receives a blessing, as well as a name change. God changes Jacob’s name to Israel.
Teaching Truth:
- God’s plans are better than our own.
- God wants us to ask Him for help.
- God loves us even when we do wrong.
Memory Verse:
"God's way is perfect. All the Lord's promises prove true." Psalm 18:30 (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's plans are better than our own:
1. Paper Bag Puppets
Grab four lunch size paper bags to use as puppets. Review the main characters in the story as you create the puppets. For each character, have your child draw eyes, nose and mouth on the top of the sack, maybe use googly eyes if you have them. If you want cut out clothes such as a shirt & pants or a simple dress for Rebekah. You can use colored construction paper or old fabric, then have your child glue the clothes to the sacks. Since Esau was very hairy, glue or tape red yarn all over the sack. Jacob’s skin was smooth, so leave this sack plain. Rebekah and Isaac were older, so crumple up their sacks and then open them again. Once you have created the puppets, you and your child can act out the story.
Talk about it...
- How did Jacob trick his father?
- Did God love Jacob even though he tricked Isaac?
- Does God love us when we make bad choices?
- What do we need to do when we make bad choices?
2. Obstacle Course
Create an obstacle course in your house or outside, using stools, chairs, pillows or bean bags. Have your child close his eyes as you lead him through the course. After you have finished, talk about how he had to trust you to know that your way was better for him, just like we have to trust God that his plan is best for us. Then switch roles and have your child lead you through the course.
3. Jacob's Pretzel Ladder
For snack time, make a ladder by using stick pretzels and marshmallows. Grab a large marshmallow, have your child stick one pretzel into each end of the marshmallow. Then in the center of the marshmallow stick another pretzel. On the ends of the pretzels attach another marshmallow, continue attaching pretzels and marshmallows until your child has created a ladder. Then let your child eat his ladder while you talk about Jacob’s dream and the choices that Jacob made and how God always loves us even when we do wrong.
Pray
Pray these things for your child this week:
- That they would learn to trust that God’s plans are always better than their own.
- That they would KNOW God loves them, even when they do wrong.
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