WELCOME TO WEEK 5

Welcome to week 5! This month we’ve learned about what it means to be brave. It doesn’t mean we have no fear, but we can trust God to lead us and be with us. God created each one of us and has a plan for each of our lives. We can trust God’s plans.

Esther 8:5-17; Ephesians 2:10

BIBLE STORY

I need your help. I have a small problem. I want to make a bird feeder for our backyard so we can watching the birds. I would like you to solve this problem for us. Think of what your plan could be to create a bird feeder for our backyard. (Give your child time to think of a plan of action. There are a variety of ways to make a bird feeder and even options for food. The lesson is for them to come up with a plan and then move forward with it. Here are a few bird feeder options.  You did a great job coming up with a plan and then doing it! Did you enjoy thinking of your plan, or did you enjoy doing your plan? This week we are learning about the plans that God has for us. God is good at creating a plan and also seeing that it gets done! God’s plans are perfect and never fail. 

Materials: Possible options for bird feeders, materials around your house to create a bird feeder

Let’s read or listen to the Bible story for this week about the plan God had for Esther.  Esther 8:5-17

What did Esther ask the king to do in order to help the Jews against Haman? (for the king to write and order to overrule Haman’s plan to destroy the Jews)

What did the new edict declare? (that the Jews in every city had the right to defend themselves)

How did the get the word out to everyone? (The couriers riding the royal horses went out and the edict was issued in Susa) 

What did the city of Susa do afterwards? (They held a joyous celebration)

BIBLE STORY ACTIVITY

God has a plan for each one of us. He wants to use our talents and skills to complete the plan he has for us. Queen Esther saved her people because she followed the plan God had already set aside for her to do. We may not ever save our nation, but sometimes the things we do that we think are little or insignificant, mean a lot to the people we do it for. We can trust God and trust that His plan for us is better than the one we have for ourselves.

Activity

It can be hard to have a plan in the moment when you need to solve a problem. We should have a plan thought out in advance for some things, like what to do in a fire or if you got lost. But we also should have a plan for regular situations that we need to take action on. As a family complete these scenario cards and decide what you would do in these situations. Discuss if that was the best plan or if there was something else that could have been done. 

Materials: printed scenario cards

Alternate

Complete this activity sheet

Materials: printed activity sheet

create:

Create your own masterpiece art by following along during this video. Watch this video and pause it when necessary to follow along with his steps. Use the paper and whatever paint supplies you already have at home. Watch and see what a masterpiece you are able to create!

Materials: paper, art supplies, watercolor paint, device to watch video

ARTS & CAFTS

CRAFT 1

Create a new law and design a scroll. Using a sheet of paper, write the new law you would like to see at your home or school. Design your new law and place your emblem/signature at the end. Roll the scroll and place ribbons on the ends to keep it closed.

Materials: piece of paper, pencil/pen, ribbon, stickers

Craft 2

Coloring page

Materials: printed coloring sheet, crayons

FOLLOW-UP

Using building bricks, Legos, or any building materials and build a tower, robot, or car. How do you like what you are building so far? Is there anything we can add to make this look even better?  You should be proud of your creation, you had a plan and then you created something great!

Ephesians 2:10 says “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

What does it mean to be God’s workmanship? Think about creating a painting or building the best tower you’ve ever made. You’d probably feel like that was your masterpiece, the best thing you’ve ever created. God feels that way about you. You are His creation and He thinks you are a masterpiece. He also created us with the ability to do good works, works He already has laid out for us to do. We just need to walk in those plans, or follow the steps God leads us on. Since God is our creator He has a plan for us and knows exactly what we need.

Practical Application at Home

It’s easy to make our own plans without ever asking God if this is his plan for us. We may not see what God’s plan are while bad things are happening all around us, but we can see His plan after it is finished. Esther didn’t know how God’s people were going to be saved, or why she was made to be queen out of all the girls in the kingdom, but God knew what would happen from beginning to end. We can’t see the future but we can look at the past to see how God had a plan all along.

Listen to these clues about people in the bible who faced difficult times and guess who is being described. Then read how God had a plan for them.

-Taken into captivity to Babylon

-did not bow down to an idol…

- tested for 10 days for not eating the kings food.

-thrown into fiery furnace

(3 Hebrew Boys)The 3 Hebrew boys may not have understood God’s plan when they were taken into captivity and had to leave their home and family, but through them others were shown God’s power, strength, and provision.

-Taken into captivity to Babylon

-became an advisor to the king

-thrown into lions den for praying

(Daniel) Daniel may not have seen God’s plan while he was living in a foreign land working for a pagan nation, but through him Babylonian kings learned that the God of Heaven was the true God.

-Lived among a wicked people.

-preached to those who would not listen

-built an ark to save his family from a flood

(Noah) Although Noah may not understood God’s plan while he was preaching to a wicked nation who did not want to follow God, he obeyed God and built an ark even though he had never seen rain. God was able to cleanse the earth and preserve a group of people. 

-Given dreams at a young age

-thrown into a pit and sold into slavery.

-thrown in prison.

-placed in charge under Pharoah

(Joseph) Joseph may not have understood God’s plan for his life as he sat in a pit and then later in prison, but Joseph was faithful to God and worked hard. God used Joseph to save his family, God’s people. 

-Left in the river as a bab.

-raised by Pharaohs daughter

-exiled to the wilderness

-freed the Israelites from slavery

(Moses) Moses may not have understood God’s plan when he had to flee Egypt or while he tended sheep for 40 years, but God used Moses’ palace education and shepherd humbleness to free the Israelites from slavery.

-her husband died

-stayed with her mother in law to take care of her

-left her homeland to go to Bethlehem.

-married Boaz

(Ruth) Ruth may not have understood God’s plan when her husband died and she left her home to follow Naomi, but she had faith and God blessed her with a guardian redeemer and she became part of the lineage of Jesus.

Additional Resources

Outings to Reinforce Lesson

Go to a park and spend time in worship and prayer. Ask God to show you ways to trust him and listen to his voice.