God Has a Plan For Your Life
by Liz KidneyGenesis 41:1-57
Scripture Memory Verse: “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good to save much people alive” Genesis 50:20.
Supplies needed: card stock, paper, glue, yarn, hole punch, markers
Meeting 1
Quick introductory Game: Students introduce themselves and tell one another who God is to them.
Background: Today’s lesson is from Genesis. Joseph was disliked by his brothers because he was his father’s favorite son and he had dreams about ruling over his brothers. His brothers did not want this to happen, so they sold him into slavery, where he was framed for a crime and thrown in jail.
Questions:
1. Things did not seem to be looking good for Joseph at this point, do you think that his dreams will come true?
2. How do you think that Joseph was feeling about the way that things were going for him so far? How would you feel if you hadn't done anything wrong at all and everything seemed to be going against you?
Scripture Reading- kids read silently, and then discuss the passage, Genesis 41:1-57 (or read it together).
Questions:
1. Did Joseph’s dreams come true? Did he ever give up or get mad at God?
2. How do you think Joseph felt when everything was going wrong?
3. How did that change when things began to go right?
4. What do you think of the fact that God used Joseph to save many people’s lives? A whole country and more?!
Meeting 2
Quick Recap
Poster List: (have a poster or chalkboard to write this list on)
Joseph’s faith in God seemed to be very strong, in what ways can we see Joseph trusting God when it was hard and God caring for Joseph?
Application to Life Questions
1. Joseph trusts God even when things are really hard and do not make much sense. Do we do the same? If not, how can we become better at recognizing God’s goodness and plans?
2. How can we remember that God has a plan that may be different from ours?
3. Do we ever make plans for our lives and then find out that they are different than we originally intended?
Jesus:
Jesus was sent to die for our sins, but that does mean that he wanted to. In Mark’s gospel, we see that Jesus was praying to God and talking to him as his father and telling him that he didn't want to do what he had to do. He was asking his father to take the pain away. ( Mark 14:35-41) He went with God’s will for him anyway, and now we are reunited with God. Jesus did not want to do what God called him to do, but he did God’s plan, even when it was hard.*
What is the picture of God that we get from this passage?
Activity: God Has a Plan For Me book
Every time you see that God has done something that is really good in your life, write about it and every time things are hard, go back and read how God has been good so that you are reminded of God’s goodness in your life.
Copyright 2003 Liz Kidney
ekidney@bucknell.edu
*Editor's Note: Jesus also said, "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father" John 10:17-18.
And in Hebrews 12:2 we read, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
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