THIS MONTH’S BIBLICAL THEME IS: God is good.
This month, we are learning all about the unwavering goodness of God. In the creation story, God crafted a perfect world and formed a special relationship with humans. Despite humanity’s sins, as seen in Cain and Abel’s story, God’s protection and love endure. God’s goodness shines through in Noah’s rescue from the flood and in God fulfilling His promise to Abraham and Sarah, bringing unexpected joy. Through these stories, God’s consistent goodness, faithfulness and love for humanity are evident, emphasizing His enduring care and blessings.
This month, we are going on a campout under the stars! The stars remind us of the promises of God and how He is always good!
Noah
BIBLE PASSAGE: Genesis 6-9:17
Focus Verses: Psalms 23:6; 100:5; Revelation 1:8; Hebrews 13:8; Romans 8:28
Summary: After Adam and Eve sinned, the world became wicked, full of violence and wrongdoing. God, saddened by humanity’s choices, decided to flood the earth. But He found Noah, a righteous man who followed God. God instructed Noah to build an ark and bring his family and animals on board. They entered the ark, and God sealed it shut. Rain fell for 40 days and nights, flooding the earth. Noah, his family, and the animals were saved. After the flood, God made a covenant with Noah, promising never to flood the earth again, and set a rainbow as a sign of His eternal goodness and faithfulness.
Will God always exist? God has no beginning and no end. He doesn’t change and His goodness will never end.
How can we trust God’s goodness in our broken world? Only God is untouched by sin. He is different than anyone or anything in our world. His goodness can be counted on even when so much bad is around us. We can trust that He uses bad things for good.
What does God want me to know about Him, and what does this mean for my life?Ask your child this question, answers will vary.
Some kids have strong fears of natural disasters prevalent in their geographic region. Some may fear events they have heard about on the other side of the globe. The story of Noah is often thought of as a cute story with animals boarding the ark, but the reality is it is a story of the greatest natural disaster of all time. Kids may wonder if disasters are a punishment for sin, like the flood in this story. Natural disasters are a result of our broken world. God has complete control and allows these things to happen; they are not part of His original design for our planet. This doesn’t mean the people affected by disaster have sinned; they are just affected by a sinful world. This discussion is also a great opportunity to discuss ways to pray for and serve those who have suffered from a disaster.
Here’s how we discussed this topic and how you can discuss at home:
Discuss: What are some natural disasters that you have heard about?
Discuss: How can we know God is good even if those terrible things happen?
Discuss: What does the Bible have to say about that?
Say: You may have heard people say that if God was truly good, natural disasters wouldn’t happen. God is good, but our world was broken by sin. When Adam and Eve chose to disobey God, sin entered the world and sin affected everything, including nature and creation (Romans 8:20–22). God is still in control, and He does allow disasters to happen, but they were not a part of His plan for creation. They are a consequence of sin in the world. We can trust that because He is good, He uses every bad thing for good and for His glory. Even suffering can draw people closer to Him. God’s goodness also shows through His people who serve and help when disaster strikes. Also, because of His goodness, there will be a day when Jesus returns and makes all new things new, including no more disasters.