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Leader Guide

Teaching

On the board, draw a simple silhouette of a man, see illustration, making it as large as possible. Draw a heart on the chest, and inside write “Trust in God.”

Make three signs using a marker and three sheets of cardstock. Write one word in large letters on each sheet: Health, Children, Possessions.

Cover the heart on the board with the “Health” sign, using a small piece of tape at the top so the sign can be removed easily. Next, put the “Children” over the “Health” sign, raising it about an inch higher so the tape doesn’t stick to the sign below. Then, tape the “Possessions” sign just above the other two.

Make copies of the Blessing Basket Pattern, one per child, plus extras, using cardstock if possible.

Directions for the basket:

  1. Cut out both pieces and also the solid lines within the large square
  2. Mountain fold along all the dotted lines
  3. Glue/Tape each of the sides (in no particular order) so the picture lines up with each other.
  4. Glue/Tape the handle in the inside
  5. Fill with blessings!

Make copies of the My Blessings Pattern, one pattern per child, plus extras.

Make a model of the craft and display it as a sample for children as they make their own. 

Let’s take a deeper look at Job. Here is what God said about him:

Read Job 1:8b:

“He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”

In our video today, we saw how Satan approached God and asked permission to test Job. Satan said the reason Job served God was that God blessed and protected him. God allowed Satan to test him but said that Job must not be harmed—so Satan immediately began the test.

Job was a very rich man—with thousands of sheep, camels, oxen, and donkeys. But then three messengers brought the news that all of the animals had died or were stolen, and most of his servants had been killed. Carefully remove the “Possessions” card from the board. 

Try to imagine how Job felt as one messenger after another brought such horrible news. Job had just lost all of his animals and most of his servants! Yet the worst news was yet to come. A fourth messenger told Job that his ten children had died when a great wind blew down the house they were in. Satan had unleashed a series of events that tested Job’s trust and devotion to God. What did Job do? Did he blame God and shake his fist at Him? Did he abandon God? Would Job fail the test, as Satan thought?     

Carefully remove the “Children” card from the board.

Read Job 1:20–22:

Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said, … “The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.

Did Job pass the first test? Yes!

Job chose to worship God despite losing his possessions and even his children! Job knew he could still have faith in God, even though incredibly bad things happened.

Satan wasn’t done yet. He went to God a second time and asked permission to attack Job’s body. God gave permission as long as Satan did not kill Job. Satan immediately caused boils or sores to cover Job’s body. What would Job do? Would he still serve God even if his health was taken away? He was in such agony that even his wife told him to curse God and die!

Read Job 2:10:

But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.

Did Job pass the second test? Yes!

When everything was taken away—even Job’s health—what did he have left?

Carefully remove the “Health” card from the board which will reveal “Trust in God.”

Job trusted in God. No one could take that away from him. Regardless of what we are going through in our lives, we can trust that God is good, He loves us, and He has a wonderful plan for us. In the next two lessons, we will learn more about Job and see how God blessed him for his trust and faithfulness! Don’t ever give up on God! When we trust Him in good and bad times, we will be blessed! Let’s say our SuperTruth together: “When trouble comes, I can trust God.”

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Now it is time for our Discipleship Challenge and craft! 

Give each child a Blessing Basket Pattern, a My Blessings Pattern, and scissors. Show them the sample you made and help them make their own. Be prepared to assist any children with special needs.

God has given each of us many blessings—yet sometimes we don’t take time to appreciate them! Can you name some blessings that God has given you?

Every day for the next 21 days, let’s each think of a blessing, write it on one of the 21 My Blessing slips, put it in your baskets, and then take time to praise and thank God for that special blessing. Next time we meet, I’ll ask you about the blessings you thought of, and why you are grateful to God for them!