This lesson teaches children that God wants our whole heart, so we should never follow anyone who tries to lead us away from him. It is a good fit for children ages 5 to 11, and it takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God is the only God we should love and follow, and we should hold tight to him even when someone tries to pull us away. We keep our hearts for God alone.
Memory Verse
Deuteronomy 13:4
You shall walk after the LORD your God, fear him, keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and you shall serve him, and cling to him.
(WEB)
Have children stand, then take three steps forward as they say “walk after the Lord,” then hold both arms out wide as if hugging someone while they say “cling to him.” Repeat the motion together three times until the verse feels like a dance.
The Story: Deuteronomy 13 for Kids
Long ago, God’s people were getting ready to live in a new land. Moses was their leader, and he gave them many rules to help them remember who God was. God wanted them to love him with their whole heart, mind, and strength, and to trust only him.
Moses warned them about a special danger. Sometimes a person might come to them claiming to be a prophet or a dreamer, and might even do a surprising sign or wonder. But if that person said, “Let’s go and worship other gods,” the people were not to listen. God was testing them to see whether they truly loved him.
The warning did not stop there. Moses said even a close friend, a brother, a child, or a wife might whisper, “Let’s go serve other gods.” Even then, God’s people were not to agree or go along with it. They were to remember that the Lord had brought them out of Egypt and set them free.
Moses also told them what to do when a whole city was led astray. The people had to search carefully and find out whether it was really true. If it was, they were to make sure that such wrong was removed from among them, so that the whole nation would learn to fear the Lord and stay faithful to him. Moses taught that God’s people must keep their hearts close to God and obey his voice every day.
Read It Together
Deuteronomy 13:3
You shall not listen to the words of that prophet, or to that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
(WEB)
Point out that God was testing his people to see whether they loved him with all their heart. Ask children what they think it means to have a whole heart for God, and remind them that God already knows the answer, but he wants us to show it.
Deuteronomy 13:6-7
6 If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son, or your daughter, or the wife of your bosom, or your friend, who is as your own soul, entices you secretly, saying, “Let us go and serve other gods,” which you have not known, you, nor your fathers; 7 of the gods of the peoples who are around you, near to you, or far off from you, from the one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth…
(WEB)
Explain that even people we love very much can sometimes say things that lead us away from God. Help children see that loving someone does not mean we agree with everything they say, especially when it goes against God’s words.
Deuteronomy 13:17-18
17 Nothing of the devoted thing shall cling to your hand, that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and show you mercy, and have compassion on you, and multiply you, as he has sworn to your fathers; 18 when you listen to the LORD your God’s voice, to keep all his commandments which I command you today, to do that which is right in the LORD your God’s eyes.
(WEB)
Show children that God’s commands were given to bring his people blessing and mercy. Point out that when we listen to God’s voice and do what is right in his eyes, we are living the way he made us to live.
Talk About It
- Why do you think God wanted his people to love only him?
- Can you think of a time when someone told you to do something you knew was wrong?
- What helps you stay close to God when others try to pull you in a different direction?
- Who are some people in your life who help you love God more?
- What is one way you can show God you love him with your whole heart this week?
Activity Ideas
Heart Drawing Craft
Give each child a paper heart cut from red or pink construction paper, along with crayons, markers, and glue. Ask them to draw or write one thing they love about God on the heart, then glue it to a sheet of paper. Let them take their finished heart home as a reminder to keep their heart close to God.
Follow the Leader Game
Play a simple game of follow the leader, but the leader must always point upward toward the ceiling and say “God is our leader.” Afterward, talk about how we follow the one true God and not anyone who tries to lead us to other gods. You only need open space, and you can take turns being the leader.
Family Heart Check Card
Cut a small card from cardstock and write “Walk after the Lord, cling to him” on the front. On the back, draw a simple heart and write the words “Who am I following today?” Let each child keep the card in a pocket or backpack to look at during the week and talk about with a parent or friend.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God takes his people’s faithfulness very seriously. It warns against following any voice that leads us away from God, even when that voice is persuasive, impressive, or comes from someone close to us. It also reminds us that God’s commands were given so that his people would flourish in his love.
When teaching children, avoid overstating the harsh details of the chapter, such as the punishments described. Focus instead on God’s love, his faithfulness, and the importance of loving him with a whole heart, since the lesson’s purpose is to help children trust and follow God.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank you for loving us and for showing us the way to live. Help us keep our hearts close to you, and help us choose you even when others try to lead us away. Give us courage to follow you every day. Amen.
