Elijah Under A Broom Tree: 1 Kings 19:1-8
We believe that spiritual development happens in the home as well as at church. We hope that these ideas will help you engage as a family. It’s designed to help you connect with your child about the lesson they had this past week. Use all the ideas one night, or spread them out throughout the week. Enjoy!
This week we learned about the prophet Elijah. We learned that it is never good to run from problems but instead we should run to God for help! God will always be with us in good and bad times, highs and lows, ups and downs. He is with us every step of the way.
- GAME items needed: balloons, Bible,
In your Bible, read 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
In this verse the apostle Paul wrote to the Christians to encourage or build up each other so that they would all stay alert, awake and not be discouraged or deceived. God uses fellow believers to encourage and lift each other up when they are down!
Play a volley game with a family member. Start with batting 2 balloons back and forth keeping each of them off the ground. When a balloon is falling down, lift it up by batting it back in the air.
Too easy? See how many balloons you can keep in the air at the same time.
Discuss with each other what is happening this week. Are you anxious about anything? Do you lack confidence in an activity or job? Do you need to pray about anything special? Continue to pray and encourage each other during the week.
- ACTIVITY: items needed: building supplies (Legos, K’nex, tinker toys, Lincoln logs, Hot Wheels tracks etc.
Ideas for family members to build separately or together.
- Build different projects like a race track that has hills and valleys, curves and loops.
- Build an amusement park ride like a roller coaster.
- Build different size teeter totters.
- Build a road with bridges, dips and turns.
- PRAYER
Determine to set aside time each night to “get away” with God and re-charge. Read your Bible and pray for understanding and how to apply to your life. Ask God to lift you up through His Word. When you pray, don’t just tell God what you need. Allow time to praise Him and thank Him. Allow time to just sit in silence, to listen and wait for Him to talk to you. Allow His Spirit to encourage you and build you up!
- SNACK: items needed: angel food cake, napkins, paper cups, toothpicks, water, plates
Elijah must have been exhausted and very, very hungry traveling for almost 100 miles to flee from Jezebel! 100 miles is a long enough trip in a car, but this was on foot. Yes, Elijah walked all that way. And you know what, it isn’t like today where there are restaurants and rest stops along the highway to take a break and eat a meal or grab a snack.
- What do you think Elijah thought about the food the angel served him?
- Do you ever get in a bad mood when you are hungry? Having a full belly makes it easier to have a good attitude. God knows that, because that’s the way He created us. God took care of Elijah’s need for food AND for his need for encouragement.
Beforehand, cut the angel food cake into cubes, enough so that each child can have four. Put them on platters and put a toothpick in each one. God can use YOU to encourage others. The kids will take turns picking up cubes of angel food cake. The kids will take turns picking up cubes of angel food cake and delivering them to someone else with a word of encouragement. If the kids don’t know what to say, they can always say, “Run to God!” Once everyone has four cubes of cake on their napkin, then everyone can eat their cake and drink their water.
- KNOW YOUR BIBLE items needed: Bibles
Look up these verses together and then discuss the questions.
Psalm 139:7-12
1. Can we run away from God? Can we ever really hide from Him?
2. How does this relate to the high and low times, the ups and downs?
3. In verse 10, what does it say about God’s hand?
4. What is the benefits of God’s light? Sometimes things are difficult or impossible to see in the dark. How does that make you feel to know darkness is like daylight to God?
Isaiah 43:2
1. What does this say about troubles in life? Low times? Difficult times? Do Christians have trials and difficulties?
2. What is God’s promise to us?
3. Does God keep all problems away?
4. What does God’s protection mean to you?
- Scripture Memory
Psalm 34:8-9 (NLT)
“Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
Fear the LORD, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need.”
- Thought For The Week
WE CAN RUN TOWARDS GOD!