This lesson teaches children that God wants his people to turn back to him, even when they have wandered far away. It is designed for ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the story, the verses, and the closing prayer.
Big Idea
God loves his people so much that he keeps calling them back to him. Even when they do wrong, he wants them to come home.
Memory Verse
Amos 4:12
“Therefore thus will I do to you, Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, Israel.
(WEB)
Teach the children to stand up and face forward, then turn slowly to the side as if they are walking back toward someone who loves them. Say “Prepare to meet your God” together while they take one slow step back toward the front of the room.
The Story: Amos 4 for Kids
Long ago, God sent a shepherd named Amos to speak to the people of Israel. Amos was not a prophet by trade, but God chose him to deliver an important message. The people were rich and comfortable, but they were treating the poor and the needy very badly. Amos told them that God had seen it all, and that God was not pleased.
God had tried to get the people’s attention in many ways. He sent a time when there was no rain in some towns while other towns got plenty. Crops withered, and people were thirsty and hungry. Pests ate their fig trees and olive trees. Sickness spread, and some of their young men were lost. Each time, God said, “Yet you have not returned to me.”
God also reminded them of a terrible time long before, when he overthrew the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The people of Israel were like a stick pulled out of a fire, saved from something worse. God had rescued them and cared for them, but they kept choosing their own way.
Because of this, God gave them a warning. He told them to get ready to meet him. Then Amos reminded everyone that the Lord is the one who made the mountains, creates the wind, and makes the morning darkness. His name is the Lord, the God of Armies.
Read It Together
Amos 4:6
“I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in every town; yet you haven’t returned to me,” says the LORD.
(WEB)
Point out the words “yet you have not returned to me.” Explain that God was not giving up on the people. He was still hoping they would come back to him, even after many chances.
Amos 4:8-9
8 So two or three cities staggered to one city to drink water, and were not satisfied: yet you haven’t returned to me,” says the LORD. 9 “I struck you with blight and mildew many times in your gardens and your vineyards; and your fig trees and your olive trees have the swarming locust devoured: yet you haven’t returned to me,” says the LORD.
(WEB)
Show the children how God kept sending hard times that were meant to get the people’s attention. Ask them to notice that God kept saying the same words, reminding the people that he was still waiting for them.
Amos 4:13
For, behold, he who forms the mountains, and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought; who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the high places of the earth: The LORD, the God of Armies, is his name.”
(WEB)
Point out that God is the one who makes the mountains, the wind, and the morning. Help the children see that the God who made the whole world is also the God who wants to be close to his people.
Talk About It
- What did the people in Amos’s day do that made God sad?
- Why do you think God kept saying “yet you have not returned to me”?
- When have you ever felt like you needed to say sorry and come back to someone?
- How does it feel to know that God is always waiting for us to come back to him?
- What is one way you can show God that you want to stay close to him this week?
Activity Ideas
Draw a Path Home
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a winding road that starts far away from a house and ends at the front door. Along the road, they can draw simple pictures of things that might pull us away, like a toy or a shiny distraction. At the end, they should draw God waiting at the door with open arms.
Turn Around Game
You will need an open space and a few cones, chairs, or shoes to mark a starting line. Have the children walk away from the starting line while you call out a sin-like action, such as “take something that is not yours.” When you call out “Turn around!” they must turn and walk back to the start. Use this to show that God welcomes us every time we return.
Home Reminder Jar
You will need a clear jar, paper strips, and a pen. Have each child write a short note about one way they can come back to God when they make a mistake, such as “I can pray” or “I can say sorry.” Fold the notes and place them in the jar. Encourage the children to take one home each week and read it aloud as a reminder that God is always ready to welcome them back.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Amos 4 is a sharp call to repentance. God names the injustice of the rich toward the poor and then describes repeated hardships that were meant to bring the people back to him. The recurring phrase “yet you have not returned to me” shows that God’s discipline was always aimed at restoration, not destruction. The chapter ends with a reminder of God’s power as Creator and Lord of all.
When teaching children, avoid making the chapter sound like a list of punishments that God delights in. Keep the focus on God’s patience and his longing for his people to return. Be careful not to suggest that every hard thing in life is a direct punishment from God, since the passage speaks to a specific people in a specific historical situation.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank you that you always keep calling us back to you. When we wander away or make wrong choices, help us remember that you are waiting for us with open arms. Help us to listen to you, to turn toward you, and to stay close to you every day. Thank you for loving us so much. Amen.
