As Sure as the Stars
Stay up late, go outside, put a blanket on the ground, look up, and count the stars.
God made a promise to Abraham that his descendants (children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren, etc.) would be as many as the stars in the sky (Genesis 15:5).
How many stars can you see with just your eyes? (Away from city lights, you may be able to count over 2000 stars.)
God also made the same promise to Abraham’s son, Isaac (Genesis 26:4). God also made a promise to Isaac’s son, Jacob, who had just left home and was all alone. As he lay under the stars, God appeared to him in a dream and made him a promise.
God promised Jacob that—
He would be with him,
He would protect him and bring him back,
and that his descendants would someday live on that very land (Genesis 28:13-15).
God was with Jacob and blessed him; God protected him and brought him back to live on that very land (Genesis 33:18-20).
God always keeps His promises! The God who made the stars has the power to do what He says. God can be trusted! God will be with us and protect us!
Emotional Stories
Round up some common items—pencil, shoe, hat, ball, candy bar, book, game, box of cereal, toothbrush, cell phone, etc.—any item will work. Put them all in a bag (a pillowcase will work).
Write each of the following emotions on a piece of paper—doubtful, lonely, afraid, worried, and unloved. Put these in a small bag.
Pair up family members and let them pick two items from the bag and also an emotion. Give them five minutes to make up a short story about the emotion using their two items. When time is up, allow the pairs to share their stories.
Have you felt any of these emotions? What can we remember that will help us?
When we remember that God is with us and will help us, we can be comforted.
Rock Solid
Ask kids to go outside and find a rock they like. (This will be a reminder to them that God’s promises are strong and sure, so it needs to be more than a pebble. One about the size of a hand is good.)
Jacob used a rock as a pillow when he was leaving his family. God appeared to Jacob and promised that He would be with him, protect him, and bring him back to this very place. God kept His promise.
How are God’s promises like a rock? (They are strong and sure, not constantly changing; they last a long time; they are strong enough to build on, etc.)
Write a message or a Bible verse on the rock with a permanent marker and encourage kids to keep it in their room as a reminder that God keeps His promises.
Here are some good promise verses (Hebrews 13:5b; Psalm 27:1; Romans 8:28; Jeremiah 31:3).