“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow.” Isaiah 48:17
Genesis 50:19-21
19 But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. 21 No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.
We can see through the story of Joseph that God always knows what is best for us. He forgave his brothers, despite how mean they were to him, because that is what God wanted. And God knows what is best.
#1 - We can always remember that God knows what is best. How can we learn to trust God more and more? (Prayer, Reading the Bible, Friends and Family. All of these things can help grow our patience and trust in God)
#2 - Forgiving others can be really hard, like it was for Joseph. Is there someone you’ve had to forgive? How can trusting God help you do that? (We can ask God for help, talk to someone we trust, and remember that forgiving others is part of God’s plan for us.)
Jesus, we are so thankful for your love and how you always know what is best for us. We pray that we will become more like Joseph and trust you even in difficult times. Please help us to always remember that you know what is best. We are so thankful for you, in Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow.” Isaiah 48:17
Exodus 14:21-22
21 Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the Lord opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land. 22 So the people of Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side!
Exodus 24:7
7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the people. Again they all responded, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded. We will obey.”
We see throughout the entire story of Moses that God always knew what was best for him and the Israelites. Even when things looked scary, like when they crossed the Red Sea on the dry ground.
#1 - What should we do when we face a situation that feels like there is no way out, just like the Israelites who were trapped on all sides? (Trust that God knows what is best for us)
#2 - Can you think of a time when you felt scared or unsure about what to do? How did you handle it, and how can you trust God to help you in those moments? (We can pray, ask God for help, and remember how God took care of Moses and the Israelites.)
Jesus, we thank you so much for your love. We thank you for knowing what is best for us. We pray that when times get difficult and challenging that we will always remember that You know what is best for us, just as You did for Moses and the Israelites. We pray that our trust in you will grow more and more. Thank you so much, in your name we pray, amen.
“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow.” Isaiah 48:17
Joshua 6:15-16
15 On the seventh day the Israelites got up at dawn and marched around the town as they had done before. But this time they went around the town seven times. 16 The seventh time around, as the priests sounded the long blast on their horns, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the town!
Josuha 6:20
20 When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it.
Joshua had a lot of trust in God. He knew that God always knows what’s best. God showed Josuha how to handle a situation that felt impossible. Even when the Israelites had to walk around and around, they knew that God knew what was best.
#1 - Sometimes we think that God’s plan is strange or different from how we would do it. What should we do when this happens? (Trust that God knows what is best for us)
#2 - Can you think of a time when you had to do something that didn’t make sense at first but worked out in the end? (Examples: Forgiving someone when you didn’t want to, Being kind when you wanted to be mean...)
Thank you Jesus for showing us the way. For guiding us and knowing what is best for us. I pray we will trust you even when we might think differently. We are so thankful for your love and grace for us. In your name we pray, amen.
“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow.” Isaiah 48:17
Judges 4:4-7
4 Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, was a prophet who was judging Israel at that time. 5 She would sit under the Palm of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites would go to her for judgment. 6 One day she sent for Barak son of Abinoam, who lived in Kedesh in the land of Naphtali. She said to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: Call out 10,000 warriors from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun at Mount Tabor. 7 And I will call out Sisera, commander of Jabin’s army, along with his chariots and warriors, to the Kishon River. There I will give you victory over him.”
God knew what was best for Deborah and Barak. Barak had to trust God even when he faced the terrifying army of Sisera and his chariots. And we can see that as Barak defeats Sisera against all odds.
#1 - What does this story show us about God’s plan? (Even when life gets scary or challenging, God knows what’s best)
#2 - Have you ever faced something that felt really scary or hard, like Barak did? What helped you get through it, and how can you trust God in those tough moments? (Talking to God, asking for help from friends or family, remembering that God is with us.)
Thank you Jesus for your love and guidance in our lives. We pray you will continue to show us what is best, and we pray we will trust you always, even when things get scary. We love you and thank you, in your name we pray, amen.