Have children sit in a circle. Bring out a cuddly stuffed animal. Share a short story about this toy (get creative!). Pass it around and have everyone hug it.
Ask:
- Why do you think people like to have stuffed animals ? (They’re cute; they feel good to hold; they’re fun to play with.)
- How do you feel when you hug an animal like this? (It feels warm, cuddly, good.)
- Do you ever hug a stuffed animal when you’re scared, lonely or sad? Why?
- How is the feeling you get from hugging a stuffed animal like how it feels to trust Jesus when you’re scared or sad? (Jesus comforts me; I feel happy when I remember that Jesus loves me.)
- How is trusting Jesus different from hugging a stuffed animal? (Jesus is really alive and has power to help me.)
Say:
Just before Jesus went back to heaven, he made a promise to his followers. Let’s look at that promise. Give each person a copy of the “Safe in God’s Arms” template. Point out the Bible verse—Matthew 28:20. This is the promise I’m talking about. Let’s read it together.
Say:
This is what I want you to remember from today’s lesson. Jesus never promised that life will be easy, but he promises he will always be with us. And having Jesus with us is even better than having a teddy bear or an older brother, or even parents, because Jesus is the Son of God. He has power to help us! Jesus is with us in tough times.
Have kids (and adults) use the space on the handout to draw or write about something that makes them afraid. You may want to play Newsboy’s “You Hold It All” in the background. Allow three to four minutes for drawing and writing, and then ask a few volunteers to tell about the fears (concerns, worries) they listed. Kids may be surprised to learn that adults have fears too, and even grown-ups also trust in Jesus to help them in scary situations.
Ask:
How does it feel to see Jesus with his arms around you in your scary situation? (Wait for answers.) The next time something bad happens to you, remember that Jesus is right there with you and will see you through.
After several children have a chance to share, pray for each of them or have them split into groups of two to three and pray for each other.
Send the posters home with kids as reminders to always place and leave their fears in God’s hands. The next time fear tries to overwhelm them and steal their peace, they’ll find strength and courage in knowing that Jesus is with them.
