Have you ever noticed that some people struggle to ask for or even accept help? Or how others seem to ask all the time with little appreciation for the help they receive? It is important to ask for help when you need it. As the saying goes, bless others by allowing them to bless you. But it is even more important to thank and appreciate the people that help us.
Stop and think for a moment about all the people that help you and your family. I’m not just talking about friends and family or even the nice man that held the door for you. Think about the teachers, the waiters, the cashiers, and all the others that do things for us. Sure they get paid to do it but things would be much more difficult without them.
So, take some time and thank the people that help you do life. In fact, take a moment and thank God for those people. God has put all sorts of people in our lives that help us with the easy and the difficult. What a wonderful gift it is to help others, accept help from others, and to thank God for all of it.
Here is a snapshot of what we will show the kids this week:
Bible Story Focus: I can thank God for people who help me. (Elisha’s Room • 2 Kings 4:8-17)
Memory Verse: “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart.” Psalm 111:1, ESV
Key Question: Who can you thank for everything?
Bottom Line: I can thank God for everything.
Bible Story & Worship
Watch the Bible Story Video with your kids so you can recap and discuss it with them in the “Bring Jesus To Their Level” section. Then join your kids in worship as we sing and dance for God.
Bible Story Video – Elisha’s Room (link)
Worship – Attitude of Gratitude (link)
Worship – Don't be a Turkey (link)
Activities
Next, use the Memory Verse video to practice our monthly verse. We have practiced this verse all monthlong. If you can, have a fun reward you can give them when they are able to say it all by themselves during our “Bring Jesus To Their Level” section. The activity sheet and coloring page are fun resources to help reinforce story and/or big idea.
Memory Verse with Hand Motions (link)
Bible Story Activity (link)
Coloring Page (link)
Bring Jesus To Their Level
Finish up your church at home by recapping the story and practicing the memory again. Then say: “Our Bible story was about helpers. The helpers in today’s story were a woman and her husband. Do you remember how they helped Elisha? (Pause.) Yes, they built a room for Elisha to stay in when he visited. I wonder if Elisha thanked God for the people who helped him. I think he did! And we should, too!
“You can thank God for the people who help you, because you can thank God for everything. Who can you thank for everything? (Together.) [Bottom Line] I can thank God for everything.
“And the Bible verse we learned all month long will help us remember to thank God for everything. It says . . . ‘I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,’ Psalm 111:1. (Practice verse together and then see if each of your kids can say it all by themselves.)
“Since we learned that we can thank God for everything, today we’ll make a list of things we’re thankful for. And it can be ANYTHING, because we can thank God for everything! You can thank God for a person who helps you, like the woman and husband helped Elisha in our story. You can thank God for food, toys, family, friends, rain, animals, flowers . . . ANYTHING! (Have each family member list something.)
“What a fantastic list! Let’s use it when we pray. Would anyone like to pray before I pray?” (Give each family member who wants to pray the opportunity to do so.)
Prayer: “Dear God, we have SO much we can thank You for, because we can thank You for everything! Today, [child’s name] wants to thank You for [what they named]. (Continue with each family member and what they named.) I pray ALL of us will keep giving thanks to You with our whole heart. We love You, God. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
As we wrap up, I would like to leave you with one of the kids’ favorite ‘good-bye’ songs:
Let Me See Your Alligator
Thank you for the opportunity to partner with you in the discipleship of your kid(s). My prayers are with you.
“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him”
Psalm 127: 3, NLT
