This lesson teaches children that even when people feel alone and sad, God is still alive and still cares for them. It works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including time for questions and a short activity.
Big Idea
Even when everyone turns away, God is alive, and He is always our friend who will help us. Job felt lonely, but he knew God was still there.
Memory Verse
Job 19:25
But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives. In the end, he will stand upon the earth.
(WEB)
Put your hand on your heart and say the verse with the children, then lift both arms up high like you are cheering for God. Ask them to do the same motion each time they say “lives,” so the word sticks in their minds.
The Story: Job 19 for Kids
Job was a good man who had lost almost everything. His animals were gone, his children had died, and he was covered in painful sores. Three of his friends came to visit him, but instead of helping, they kept talking about what Job must have done wrong to make God so upset.
Job was tired of their words. He told them that their talking hurt him more than helped him. He said that God had surrounded him like a net and that he felt stuck, with no way to get out of his trouble. He cried out for help, but it seemed like nobody heard him.
Even his own family and closest friends seemed to step away from him. Some of his servants did not answer when he called. Job felt like a stranger in his own home. He was sad, and his body was weak and thin. He felt as if everyone had forgotten him.
Then Job said something brave. He wished his words could be written in a book or carved into a rock so they would last forever. He said, “I know that my Redeemer lives.” Job trusted that God was alive and would stand up for him in the end, even though he could not see the answer yet.
Read It Together
Job 19:21
“Have pity on me, have pity on me, you my friends; for the hand of God has touched me.
(WEB)
Point out that Job was begging his friends to be kind to him. Ask the children how they feel when a friend is hurting and needs help. Remind them that Job had a hard time, and it is okay to ask others for help too.
Job 19:23-25
23 “Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! 24 That with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever! 25 But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives. In the end, he will stand upon the earth.
(WEB)
Read these verses slowly and show the children where Job says he wants his words written down. Explain that Job was saying he was sure God was still alive and in charge, even though things felt very wrong. Let the children repeat the phrase “my Redeemer lives” after you.
Job 19:27
Whom I, even I, shall see on my side. My eyes shall see, and not as a stranger. “My heart is consumed within me.
(WEB)
Point out that Job says he will see God with his own eyes and God will be on his side. Talk about how God does not leave us, even when we cannot see Him right away. Ask the children to name a time they felt God close to them.
Talk About It
- How do you think Job felt when his friends kept talking about what he did wrong?
- What is one thing Job said that shows he still trusted God?
- Who is someone who helps you when you feel lonely or sad?
- Why do you think it matters that God is alive and not just a story?
- What is one thing you can do this week to remind a friend that God loves them?
Activity Ideas
Redeemer Heart Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a big heart and write “My Redeemer Lives” inside it. Let them add small pictures of things that remind them God is with them, like the sun, a tree, or a family member. Keep the drawings to take home.
Stand Up for Job Game
You will need a few chairs and a soft ball or rolled up socks. Set the chairs in a circle and have children sit in them. Pass the ball around while you say “God is with me.” When the music stops or you clap, the child holding the ball stands up tall and says “I know my Redeemer lives.” Keep the game short and cheerful.
Take-Home Promise Card
You will need index cards or cut paper, a marker, and tape or a rubber band. Have each child write the words “God is alive and with me” on one side and draw a small picture on the other. Encourage them to keep the card in a pocket or on the bedside table and read it at bedtime for the week.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Job 19 shows a faithful man who feels abandoned and misunderstood by people, yet holds on to the confident hope that God is living and will vindicate him. Christians have long read verse 25 as pointing toward trust in God as Redeemer, the one who rescues and restores. Keep the focus on God’s faithfulness rather than on explaining every detail of Job’s sufferings.
Be careful not to suggest to children that bad things happen only because someone did something wrong, or that God always makes hard times disappear quickly. Job’s story is about holding on to God while life is still hard, not about a neat and tidy ending for every child’s situation.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You that You are alive and always near us. When we feel lonely or sad, help us remember that You are with us and that You care for us. Help us be good friends to people who are hurting. Amen.
