PROTECTED
WELCOME TO WEEK 1
Who takes care of you? Do you have a mom or dad, aunt or uncle or maybe a grandma or grandpa who cares for you? God takes care of you too! He wants to care for us and provide for our needs. That is amazing! This week we will read a bible story about several people God took care of in a special way.
BIBLE STORY
Have you ever seen a mother hen with its baby chicks? What does the mother hen do for her babies? She protects them. She wants them to be safe, so she provides food and safety. Jesus says he wants to love and protect us the way a mother hen protects its chicks. The mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings to give them protection and keep them safe. Let’s pretend you are baby chicks and I am the mother hen. The adult should wrap a large blanket around their shoulders to use as their protective wings. Okay little chicks, go walk around the room pretending to eat and when I call you, coming running back to me. When you call the children by name, as they come to you bring them close and cover them with your ‘wings’. Repeat the activity several times sending them out to walk, run, hop, or jump around. After a few moments of the activity call them back to safety under your wings. Embrace them and help them feel safe and loved as you smile and speak words of assurance. Just like these large wings made you feel protected and loved, God wants to keep us under his wings as well. He loves us and wants to protect us. Can you imagine how wonderful and amazing are God’s wings of protection? Let’s listen to a story about Elijah and how he really needed to be protected and God provide food and shelter in a very big way.
Read or listen to the story in 1 Kings 17
What did Elijah tell King Ahab? (There would be neither rain or dew for the next few years)
Where did Elijah hide from King Ahab? (near the brook east of Jordan)
Who brought Elijah food? (ravens brought him bread and meat)
Where did Elijah go after the brook dried up? (God told him to see a widow in Zarephath)
What did Elijah ask of her? (To make him something to eat first, then make something for herself and her son)
Did the woman have plenty of food to share with Elijah? (She only had a handful of flour and a little oil left for one more meal)What did Elijah say the Lord would do? (the flour and oil would not run dry until the Lord sends rain on the land)
What happened to the widows son? (He grew ill and finally stopped breathing)
What did Elijah do for the boy? (He stretched himself out on the boy 3 times and asked the Lord to return his life)
BIBLE STORY ACTIVITY
In our story for this week, Elijah is hiding by the brook during the time of no rain. God protected him from King Ahab who was looking for him. God provided protection and he also provided food and water for Elijah. Just as God provided for Elijah, God provides for us as well.
Activity
God takes care of us in many different ways. He gives us food, shelter and family. God provided Elijah with food from the ravens, shelter by the stream and friendship of the widow and her son. On a sheet of construction paper, cut and paste pictures of things God provides such as food, shelter and people. On the top of the sheet of paper write “God provides all my needs”.
Materials: Magazine pictures or other pictures to cut out, construction paper, scissors, glue
Alternate
God sent oil and flour in the jar every day so the widow, her son, and Elijah could eat every day. Let’s practice counting as far as we can. Use some type of counters or beans as your child counts.
Materials: Counters or beans
Independent activity:
Complete the following activity sheet
Materials: printed activity sheet, pencil, crayons
ARTS & CAFTS
CRAFT 1
Print out the following jar picture. Trace the black outline of the jar with Elmers glue and let it dry completely. Then have your child color the pack of the paper with markers and gems. Then turn the paper over to see the amazing part of this craft. Using baby oil or another light oil and a sponge paintbrush, paint the front of the paper lightly with the oil and watch the colors from the back of the page come through to the front.
Materials:Elmers glue, markers, baby oil or other oil, sponge paintbrush, printed page
Craft 2
Coloring page
Materials: printed coloring sheet, crayons
Craft 3
Coloring page. Use yellow glitter to finish coloring the oil in the oil jug.
Materials: printed coloring sheet, crayons, yellow or gold glitter
FOLLOW-UP
Who are the people who take care of you?
How does God use your parents or other adults to care for you?
Do you have anyone or anything you take care of?
If you were the widow would you have given Elijah your last meal?
What animal did God send to feed Elijah?
How does God provide food for you?
Practical Application at Home
God can provide for us by giving us other people who take care of us. Elijah had the raven who brought him food, and then the widow who provided meals for him through God’s provisions. Think of the people who help provide and care for you. Maybe it is a parent, grandparent, teacher, or a family from church who helps provide food, love or support. Write them a letter or make them a card thanking them for what they have given you. Let them know that you are grateful for the provisions they have given you through God. God is using them to care for you, it is a blessing to be able to give them thanks.
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.