Intermediate Level, Block 2—Babel and Good Land
Week 16
Abraham—Learning the Lesson that God Takes Care of Him
Point to Emphasize: We can be encouraged that our sovereign God takes care of us even when we choose wrong.
Reference Reading: Genesis 12:9—13:18
Memory Verse: For whom Jehovah loves He disciplines, / Even as a father, the son in whom he delights. (Proverbs 3:12)
Story Sample
During Abraham’s time there was a famine in Canaan. What’s a famine? A famine is an extreme scarcity of food in a region. A famine is a really bad situation. Abraham was living right there in Canaan, and we learned last week that he was living a simple life trusting in God for everything. But now, what is Abraham going to do in the midst of a famine? There is simply not enough food! Actually, this famine was a part of a test designed by God for Abraham. Will Abraham trust in God that He will take care of all his needs and his family’s needs, even in providing for them to eat? Well, there was no food in Canaan, but there was food in Egypt. What will Abraham do?
Abraham failed this test. Abraham decided to go down to Egypt. Remember that God called Abraham out of Egypt. Now Abraham went back to Egypt, back to the place that God had called him out from! Abraham did not trust God to supply his daily necessities and he decided to go down to Egypt to get food. While in Egypt, Abraham told a lie to Pharaoh and because of this he acquired a lot of possessions. He was given sheep, oxen, camels, menservants and maidservants. Abraham became rich. Now, because Pharaoh realized that Abraham lied to him, he was not happy with him and sent him out. So, Abraham went out of Egypt and back into Canaan. Abraham returned to the place where he was at first sent by God, and there he built an altar and pitched his tent again, just like he had before. Abraham learned his lesson. God took care of all of Abraham’s needs even when he chose wrong.
Dear children, we can learn a lot from this story of Abraham. When we lie, it might work on our side for a little while, but the truth will always come out. We shouldn’t lie. But it is so encouraging to see that in spite of what Abraham did, God was still caring for Abraham. God’s care still comes to us as we are learning the lessons that He teaches us.
I’ll tell you what happened to me. One day I was in the children’s meeting, and the serving one gave everyone a drink in really pretty Dixie cups. I kept playing with the cup, and I ended up with it in the car after being picked up by my mom. My mom saw the cup and asked me, “Where did you get that cup?” I looked at the cup and from nowhere I responded, “I got it in children’s meeting because I was a good girl today!” My mom praised me for being a good girl, and oh, I felt SO good. Days later, my mom happened to be talking to the serving one that had been with me that day and started talking about the Dixie cup. Yes, the serving one told my mom she had served the juice in them and all the children had gotten one. When my mom came back home, she sat me down and told me what she found out. I had lied to my mom. I felt SO bad. After getting disciplined for lying, I knew my mom still loved me. My mom’s care was still there for me as she tucked me in bed that night. [Storyteller, insert your own example of learning that God or an adult took care of you even when you chose wrong. Ask children about being disciplined but still knowing that their parents love them.]
Our God knows everything. Everything is under His control. God prepared a famine to teach Abraham that no matter what, God will take care of him. As with Abraham, God also cares for us. His care and love toward us will always be there!