We Can Be Patient Because God’s Plan Is Perfect

We Can Be Patient Because God’s Plan Is Perfect Hero Image

As a parent, you probably have at least one set of Legos or maybe another type of block lying around your house. And you probably can’t even keep count of all the different things your kid(s) have built with them. The same set of Legos can be used to make countless creations. It’s all up to the builder. In a similar way, our lives are made up of tiny little pieces that have been created and placed, not by just any Lego master, but by the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-seeing Creator of everything. We can be patient because even though we have no idea how God will put together the pieces of our lives, we can know and trust that His plan is perfect.

PATIENCE: Trusting and waiting for God in all things

MEMORY VERSE: “Yet I am confident I will see the Lord's goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord." Psalm 27: 13-14

This Week’s Finish Line: We can be patient because God’s plan is perfect

In Genesis 42, Joseph was the second most powerful man in Egypt. The country experienced seven years of abundant crops but afterwards began seven years of famine. Joseph’s job was to keep track of all the food they have left and to help get food to those who need it. Joseph’s brothers took a trip to Egypt to try to buy food because their land, Canaan, was in a famine, too (that’s right…the same brothers who sold Joseph into slavery!). When they came to ask for food from Joseph, they didn’t even recognize their own brother! Joseph sent them back to Canaan with food and told them to bring their younger brother, Benjamin, next time. He didn’t even make them pay for the food they received! When they returned to Egypt, Joseph could tell that their hearts had really changed, and they were sorry for how they’d treated Joseph. Joseph told them who he really was and that even though they tried to hurt him, God had a perfect plan. God actually used a horrible situation (Joseph being sold into slavery and thrown into prison) to save Joseph’s family. Even though there was no way they could’ve known how God was putting everything together, His plan was perfect all along.

Family Questions:

READ GENESIS 42:3-8, 18-25

  • Who came to Egypt to buy food? (Joseph’s 10 older brothers) Joseph was 2nd in command in Egypt. What could he have done with them?
  • How did Joseph show them patience instead? (He gave them food to take back and even returned all their money to them. He let all the brothers, except Simeon, go home to take care of their family. He told them to bring back their youngest brother, Benjamin, to prove they were telling the truth.)

READ GENESIS 45:3-8, 50:19-21

  • Was God’s plan perfect? How did God use Joseph’s hardships for good? ( He was sold as a slave by his own brothers and then falsely accused so he would end up in the exact same prison as the cupbearer. Even in hardships, he had a reputation of staying faithful to God and working hard. All this led him to Pharaoh who placed him in charge of Egypt during a very important time. God used Joseph’s patient endurance to save people, including the Israelites, according to His perfect plan.

Bring it Home Conversations & Activities:

* Check out our vision for parents and how to use these activities each week.

Teacher: Meal Time

READ GENESIS 50:19-21. Talk thru the following questions with your family. While he was being patient, could Joseph have known how his story would end? Why not? Did God always know the whole story? Is it comforting to know that God sees how all the pieces of your life fit together even if you can’t? Why or why not? What is one part of your life that you have trouble understanding how it fits into God’s plan?

Friend: Drive Time

On various trips as you’re driving this week, challenge your child(ren) to the quiet game. Ask them to see how easy or hard it is to trust that you (mom or dad) know where you’re going and how to get there without asking questions, even if they don’t understand. If you have spare time, you could use this as an excuse to take them out for a treat (but don’t tell them that ahead of time). You can also do this by going somewhere you normally go but take a different route that they’re not familiar with. After you end up at your location, you can ask questions like “Was it easy or hard to trust me as the driver? Why or why not?” “Is it easy to trust that God is in control of our whole lives? Why or why not?”

Counselor: Bedtime

Thank God for seeing the whole story of your life even though you cannot. Ask Him to help you trust Him when you cannot understand His perfect plan. If you are walking through something hard, ask God to remind you that He never stops being good and that He can take hard things and use them for good, just like He did with Joseph.

Coach: Anytime

Write each word of the memory verse (Psalm 27:13-14) on an index card. Shuffle the cards together and see if you can put them in the correct order. Do it again, but time yourself to see how long it takes. You can even have a competition within your family to see who can do it the fastest!

Prayer

God, thank you for being patient with us! Thank you that we can trust you in all things. Help us to remember to wait on you and remember that your plan is perfect! Thank you so much for sending your son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins so that I will live in Heaven with you one day!

Looking Ahead

Next week, we will have a We Believe Weekend. We will be talking about The Church!

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