EXPECTATIONS
WELCOME TO WEEK 2
What gives you hope? A commercial for a new toy? The start of a new school year? We all hope for new beginnings, celebrations, and fresh starts. We can trust that God is our greatest hope. We can put our hope in lost of things, but they will each disappointment compared to the true hope we can receive only in God. This week we will see the hope Ruth and Naomi receive.
BIBLE STORY
Throw cotton balls in the air and have your child catch as many as they can in a bowl before they hit the ground. Check to see how many are leftover. Repeat this activity several times as desired.
Was it easy or hard to catch a bowl full of cotton balls? Where there any leftover cotton balls on the ground? When we think of gathering leftovers, it’s not usually our favorite way to gather anything. Especially not a way to gather food, but that is exactly what Ruth had to do. She gathered left over grain that the workers in the field dropped as they gathered. Do you think she was able to gather much grain at one time? What a difficult job but necessary in order for Ruth and Naomi to eat. Let’s continue reading in our story of Ruth to discover something that made it a little easier for Ruth to gather the grain.
Materials: cotton balls, small bowl
Let’s read the Bible story for the week Ruth 2
Who is Boaz? (A relative on Naomi’s husbands side)
What did Ruth decide to do in order to gather grain for her and Naomi to eat?( go to the fields and pick up grain left behind from anyone who she finds favor)
Whose field did she end up picking from? (Boaz’s field)
After Boaz heard from on of his workers who Ruth way, what did Boaz tell Ruth to do? (Not to glean in another field but work in his field behind thee women)
When Ruth asked Boaz why she had found such favor in her, what was his response? (He heard she left her family to come and work.
What blessing did he say regarding Ruth? (That the Lord may repay her, that she be richly blessed by the Lord God of Israel.
BIBLE STORY ACTIVITY
Activity
Listen to these scenarios and decide who or what the person is putting their hope in?
If I get this one toy it will make me happy…
if I have a lot of friends I will know I’m a good person…
If I get lots of gifts I will feel loved…
If I’m the best in my class I will feel worthy…
If I earn lots of money I can buy my happiness….
If I wait and trust one God I will have everything I need.
Materials:
Alternate
When we think of having leftovers, we usually don’t think of this positively. Having leftover dinner may not be our favorite, but it was a blessing for Ruth to pick up the leftover grain. Think about what would be the advantage of having the following leftovers
Leftover fruit (make smoothies)
Leftover prizes (more for others)
Leftover strawberries (make strawberry shortcake)
Leftover money (save for another day)
Leftover ice cream: (make shakes)
Leftover dirty: (plant seeds in a planter)Leftover time: (play a game, read a book or chat with someone)
Leftover kids from a group: (Start a new group)
Leftover wood from a project: (make a new simple wood project like a cutting board)
Leftover bread that’s gone stale: (feed them to the birds/ducks at the pond)
Materials:
Independent activity:
Create a bookmark to use in your stories and to remind yourself of the hope God gives each one of us. Cut a contraction paper in a small strip, bookmark size. Hole punch the top to add a ribbon. On the construction paper write the following sentence, “ God give us hope”. Place your new bookmark in an unfinished book to remind yourself that God can bring hope to us in any situation.
Materials: Construction paper cut into strips, double sided tape or glue (optional), pencil or pen
ARTS & CAFTS
CRAFT 1
coloring page
Materials: printed coloring sheet, crayons
Craft 2
Coloring page
Materials: printed coloring sheet, crayons
FOLLOW-UP
Read or listen to Romans 5:1-5
This verse says that our suffering can produce perseverance, perseverance produces character, and our character produces hope. We all go through times in our lives that we are suffering and go through hard times, but our faith helps us to hold on to the peace God will give us. Even though we do not wish for trouble, it can produce perseverance, the ability to keep going even when things get tough. Our perseverance produces character, which helps us become more strong and understanding when others go through similar situations. This character helps us when other situations happen to remember how God was there in the past and will be there in the future, which is hope! We have the hope or faith that God has taken care of us in the past and will continue to take care of us in the future.
How did Ruth show perseverance?
How did Naomi show perseverance?
What can we persevere each day?
What are some examples of suffering?
How did Ruth Suffer?
Explain how Ruth showed perseverance, character and hope?
Practical Application at Home
Complete this activity sheet. Write down a suffering you’ve had in the past or currently have. In each box write or draw a way you have shown or could show perseverance, character, and hope in that suffering.
Additional Resources
Outings to Reinforce Lesson
Enjoy the cool weather and take a nature walk. Observe the things God created and how they work together in His plan. What part do each of us play in God’s plan for us?