WELCOME TO WEEK 3

Have you ever played a game of tag, at night? What do you need in order to find everyone? A light! A source of light will help you see where you are running and it also helps you find the other players. This week we will see how God’s light can help guide us through life and keep us on the right path.

Psalm 119:101-105

BIBLE STORY

I have an object behind my back. I am going to describe it, and I want to see if you can guess what it is. (Give several clues, but make it hard for them to guess) Now I want you to close your eyes and feel the object. Tell me what you think the object is. Now open your eyes. Did you guess the object correctly? It was hard to guess correctly when your eyes were closed and when it was hidden from you, right? If there was light on the object and your eyes were opened, it would have been easier to guess correctly. We can be sure of what is right and wrong when we allow God to lead us. He will light the way so we can see the right choices we should make. This week we will learn how God can lead us. Let’s continue reading in Psalms, our book of praise!

Read or listen to the scripture story in Psalm 119:101-105

Where did the Psalmist keep his feet? (From every evil path)

Who did the Psalmist want to follow? (God’s word)

Who gives us instruction? (God)

The Psalmist compares God’s word to the sweetness of honey. What would you compare God’s sweet words to?

What did the Psalmist hate? (Every false way)

Complete the rest of verse 105: Your word is a ______ to my ______ and a _______ on my _____.

BIBLE STORY ACTIVITY

The Psalmist described God’s word as a lamp to his feet and a light to his path. God’s word is the Bible. There, God gives instructions on how to live, how to treat others, and it tells of God’s love for us. We can read God’s words and apply them to our lives by practicing doing what it says. In that way, we are allowing God’s words to light our path and we are walking in the light. 

Activity

God’s light can guide us in the right direction, we just need to follow it. I am going to hide an object somewhere in this room. I want you to find it by following my guiding light. Stand in the beam of light from the flashlight and each time the light moves, move back into the circle of light as well. (Have child stay within the beam of light. Move the light a few feet, then stop and wait for them to stand back into the light. Continue to move the light a few feet at a time until you reach the hidden object for them to find.)

Materials: Flashlight, object to hide

Alternate

Go on an evening walk or early morning walk. Take a flashlight. Talk about how Jesus is our source of light. When it is dark and we don’t know which way to go, God will always light our path and be our source of light. Turn on your flashlight during your walk to show how the light helps you see where you are going.

Materials: Flashlight

Independent activity:

Complete the following activity sheet. Look at pictures, some give off light and some do not. Color the objects that give off light.

Materials: Printed pictures, flashlight

ARTS & CAFTS

CRAFT 1

Create a small lantern. Using a small clear plastic container (or a small mason jar) and a small tea light. Decorate the outside of the lantern with stickers and markers. Then add the small tea light to the center. Close the container with the lid if desired.

Materials: Small clear plastic container or mason jar, battery operated tea light, stickers, markers 

Craft 2

Make a paper lantern. Follow the instruction on this website to create your own paper lantern. 

Materials: a clear plastic cup, a battery operated tealight, colored paper, 2 small strips of the same color paper, a pipe cleaner, Stickers or other decorations, a stapler and some scissors. 

Craft 3

Coloring page

Materials: printed coloring page, crayons, coloring pencils

FOLLOW-UP

What are other things that give light?

Does the Bible give light?

How can the words from the Bible act as a light for you each day?

If light makes a walking path easier to see, what does darkness do?

What are some things that happen when you try to walk in darkness?

How can God lead you?

What are some ways you can follow God this week?

To keep from stumbling in the darkness we can read God’s bible to see His directions for us. God does not want us to stumble around in the darkness but follow Him. We can find his instructions on how to live in His word, the Bible. 

Practical Application at Home

God can lead us in many different situations and no matter where we are. God has a path for us that we can be sure is right because we are following God.

Create a pathway for toy cars to drive along. Using Lego bricks, building blocks, or any other material to create a pathway for the cars to follow. What is it like to follow a path? We must stay on the path and not veer off because we might crash our car or get hurt. Would it be harder to keep our car on the path if it were dark? Continue to play with the cars and path, discussing how God wants to lead us on the path He knows is best for us. 

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.