The Gift of Help
WELCOME TO WEEK 4
Welcome to week 4! This month we’ve read stories of peace, courage, and strength. This week we will see how God can provide help. God wants to help us through the big things in life, and He wants to help us through the little things as well.
BIBLE STORY
I’m going to give you some clues about animals and then you tell me if you figured out what animal I’m talking about.
-I like to stay in a herd….. you can tell me apart from my herd by looking between my eyes….my favorite color is black and white… (zebra)
-has a loud roar……likes to hunt at night…..has a big mane around his hair…like to stay in a herd….. (Lion)
I am the largest land animal….I constantly eat all day……we communicate through vibrations…..(Elephant)
I have rows of teeth….I live in the ocean… I am a predator… (Shark)
I like to live in trees…I am a very slow moving animal…my sharp long claws help to grip tree trunks…(sloth)
I don’t have eyelids….I can’t chew food but swallow it whole…I live on every continent except Antartica…(snakes)
Did you need help figuring out these animals? Each animal God created is unique and different. God has given them unique features to help them survive in the wild. Our story this week is about Daniel and how God helped him.
Read or listen to the scripture Daniel 6
Daniel work for what King? (King Darius)
Why did the other governors and advisors to the king not like Daniel? (because the king like Daniel and trusted him, so he set Daniel over everyone else)
What did the other governors and advisors do to trap Daniel? (they told the king they wanted to honor him by saying no one could worship any God but only worship the king for 30 days)
What was the consequence for praying to any God? (They would be thrown into the lion’s den)
What did Daniel do that broke the new law? (He continued to pray to God in his open window 3 times a day)
How did the king feel when Daniel was thrown into the den? (He was very upset and didn’t eat, drink or even sleep that night)
When the king asked Daniel the next morning if his God had saved him, what did Daniel say? (The Lord sent an angel to shut the lion’s mouths)
BIBLE STORY ACTIVITY
Daniel knew that if he prayed He would be thrown into the Lion’s Den. He did not know if God would save him, but he knew serving God was more important than anything else. It was more important than his own safety. God did send his angels to protect Daniel and God protects us too. We may not always see the way God protects us, but He does. We can trust that God will always be there with us, even when we face really difficult situations, as fierce as lions!
Activity
Play this lion hop game. Securely place these printed Lion paws on the ground outside or on the floor inside your house. (masking take is easy to remove from hard surfaces and carpet, but test in an inconspicuous place first). Using a small bean bag (or make one by filling a small sandwich or snack bag with rice) have each player take turns tossing the beanbag onto a paw, then hopping one foot on each paw print until they get to their beanbag. Read the question on the paw print and have the child answer the question. Repeat with each player.
Materials: printed paw cards, bean bag
Alternate
Read the following scenario cards and say which choice you follow. Would you choose to follow God even if it means facing consequences, or would you follow the crowd because it’s easier?
Materials: printed scenario cards
Create:
Create a personal prayer journal. Using a large sheet of construction paper, fold it in half. Place a desired amount of lined or blank sheets of paper between the folded construction paper and then staple to make a book. Student may decorate the outside cover to make any design. Use this prayer journal to write prayers to God. A prayer journal may include prayer request for yourself and friends or family, scriptures that they like or are meaningful to them, and things they are thankful for. Set time aside each week to add to the prayer journal.
Materials: Large sheet of construction paper, lined or blank white paper, stapler, art supplies
ARTS & CAFTS
CRAFT 1
Make a lion puppet. Use a paper lunch sack and decorate the top flap as the lion’s head. Use googly eyes, draw a triangle nose that connects with its mouth. Cut out strips of yellow and orange construction paper and wrap each strip tightly around a pencil to create a curl. Then glue the strips of paper around the top of the paper bag to create the mane. On the bottom of the bag write the scripture from Daniel 6:27
Materials: lunch sack, google eyes, yellow and orange construction paper, glue, crayons, scissors
Craft 2
Coloring page
Materials: printed coloring sheet, crayons
craft 3
Coloring page
Materials: printed coloring sheet, crayons
FOLLOW-UP
Daniel prayed to God even though he knew he was breaking the law. Do you think that means we should break the law too, just because we want to? Or because we don’t like the law? Is there ever a time when it’s okay to break the law?
Let’s read Isaiah 41:10. This verse says that we are not to fear because God is with us. He will strengthen us and uphold us with his righteous hand. When we look at the word righteous in this verse, it’s defined as rightness, what is right and just.
God upheld Daniel in the lions den and protected him because what Daniel was doing was right. God was justly protecting Daniel for choosing to do the right thing even though the punishment was great! God wants us to do what is right, for His glory, and He will help us have courage and strength to stand up for Him. God will uphold us with His righteousness.
Practical Application at Home
When are there times that we might have to stand against what everyone else says we should do, in order to do what is right for God? Think about the following scenarios and then think of a few of your own.
The neighbors house is on fire but your parents told you not to use the phone to call anyone. Do you use the phone to help a neighbor or not touch the phone?
The teacher tells everyone to stay in their seats and sit quietly. You see a classmate who looks like they are very sick. Do you sit quiet or insist on telling the teacher something is wrong with the classmate who is unable to speak for themselves?
The school has a rule that no one is allowed to pray on campus. You want to say grace over your own meal. Do you pray to yourself over your lunch or skip praying at all?
Your friends made a new rule for your group, no talking to the strange girl in class. You watch her sitting alone all day and being ignored or even shunned by the other classmates. Do you choose to be nice to her and give her company or follow your other friends in ignoring her?
Can you think of other scenarios in which you are called to follow God before you follow man. Discuss these situations as a family. When is the right time to go against the norm or against the crowd to stand up for what God has asked of you. When is it the right time to follow the rules and obey those in authority?
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.