Target Practice
Items Needed: Paper, writing utensil, bow and arrow set or balled up sock
Draw a simple target and take turns trying to hit the target with a child’s bow and arrow. (If you don’t have a bow and arrow set, ball up a sock and throw it at the target.)
It definitely seemed as if Job had a target on his back, and Satan (the devil) kept trying to throw bad things (arrows) at him. The attacks kept coming, and Job couldn’t get away from them.
What were some of the bad things that happened to Job? (Loss of his animals, his servants, and his children; sickness; etc.)
Satan is our enemy. He wants to attack and destroy our faith in God, but God is in control and is all-powerful. Just as God was with Job in his suffering, He will be with us too.
Get Ready!
Item Needed: Bible
Tell or read the following story:
Carlos and his family went camping, and as soon as the car stopped, Carlos jumped out and ran to the back of the van to grab his fishing poles.
“Hold on a minute, Carlos. We’ve got to put the tent up first,” his dad said.
“Dad, can’t we put the tent up later? I’ve been waiting to go fishing for weeks,” Carlos begged.
“We need to be prepared if a storm comes up.”
“A storm? Look at the sky! It’s sunny and bright,” Carlos added.
Carlos’ dad would not give in to his begging, and they put the tent up as fast as they could. They pounded the stakes tightly into the ground and made sure everything was secure.
Finally, Carlos ran off to go fishing.
Later that evening, Carlos felt a drop of rain on his hand. Before they could gather everything inside the tent, it was pouring rain. As Carlos lay dry and warm in his sleeping bag, he was glad his dad made them put up the tent first. They were protected from the storm.
Ask:
How can we be prepared for trouble when it comes? (We can know important truths about God and what He is like.)
We can compare trouble to a storm. Jesus promised we would have trouble while living on earth (John 16:33). We might not always know when or what trouble is coming, but we can be ready by knowing important truths about God.
Review these important truths we need to know about God:
God is powerful (Jeremiah 32:17).
God can be trusted (Proverbs 3:5–6).
God will always love me (John 3:16).
God will never leave me (Hebrews 13:5b).
God will do what is best for me (Romans 8:28).
The more we know about our great God, the more we will trust Him and know He is always with us.
Wisdom that Lasts
Items Needed: Balloons, marker
Run a race with balloons. Make a starting point and a finish line (about 15 feet apart). Give each person a balloon and line up everyone on the starting line. At the signal to go, each person must blow air into his or her balloon and then let it go. Wherever the balloon lands is where he or she must run to and do the same thing over and over until someone’s balloon crosses the finish line.
We must believe and follow God’s words in the Bible, especially when trouble comes. Have you ever thought these thoughts when you faced hard times?
I doubt God sees or cares about me.
God doesn’t love me.
I am all alone and have no one to talk to.
Not even God can help me.
Nothing good can come from this trouble.
Job didn’t have the Bible, but he knew God and trusted Him, no matter what came his way. When Satan attacked Job through troubles and doubts, he replaced the lies with what he knew about God.
Blow up the balloons and write one of the five truths on each balloon.
God is powerful (Jeremiah 32:17).
God can be trusted (Proverbs 3:5–6).
God will always love me (John 3:16).
God will never leave me (Hebrews 13:5b).
God will do what is best for me (Romans 8:28).
Say the wise Bible truths together several times, allowing your children to repeat after you. You can also begin a truth, pause, and let your children fill in the blanks.