This lesson teaches children that God hears His people, helps them when they are weary, and stays close to them even when life is hard. It is designed for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
God always listens to us, and He is always ready to help us. When we feel tired or scared, we can trust Him to be with us.
Memory Verse
Isaiah 50:7
For the Lord the LORD will help me. Therefore I have not been confounded. Therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be disappointed.
(WEB)
Hold both hands out in front of you, palms up, like you are receiving a gift. Then slowly bring them together over your heart. Say the words with the motion each time, and let the children copy you until they know it well.
The Story: Isaiah 50 for Kids
Long ago, God spoke through a prophet named Isaiah. The people of Israel had turned away from God, and they felt lost and far from home. God wanted them to know that He had never stopped loving them, even though they had wandered off. He asked them a question: where was the paper that proved He had sent them away? There was no such paper, because God had not left them. They had left Him.
God reminded the people that when He called, no one came to answer. He was powerful enough to dry up the sea and turn rivers into dry, empty land. Nothing was too hard for Him. He was ready to save anyone who turned back to Him, if only they would listen.
Then Isaiah tells us about someone who listened very carefully to God. Each morning, God opened his ears so he could hear what God wanted to say. He did not turn away or run from what God asked of him, even when people treated him badly. He kept his face set toward God, like a hard rock that does not move.
Isaiah said, “The Lord God will help me.” Because God was helping him, he was not put to shame. He knew that God was near, and that God would make everything right in the end. He told the people that anyone who feared God and trusted His name did not need to be afraid of the dark.
The chapter ends with a warning to those who made their own light and walked in their own fires. They would not find the peace they were looking for. Instead, they would lie down in sorrow. God wanted them to come back to Him, the true light.
Read It Together
Isaiah 50:4
The Lord the LORD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him who is weary. He wakens morning by morning, he wakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.
(WEB)
Point out that God gives His servant the right words to say to a tired person. Ask the children who they might be able to encourage with kind words this week.
Isaiah 50:10
Who among you fears the LORD, and obeys the voice of his servant? He who walks in darkness, and has no light, let him trust in the LORD’s name, and rely on his God.
(WEB)
Show how the verse talks about trusting God even in the dark. Explain that trusting God means we keep relying on Him when we cannot see clearly yet.
Isaiah 50:2
Why, when I came, was there no one? when I called, why was there no one to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it can’t redeem? or have I no power to deliver? Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea. I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stink, because there is no water, and die for thirst.
(WEB)
Point out the question God asks about why no one answered when He called. Gently ask the children what it feels like when someone does not answer them, and how God never does that to us.
Talk About It
- What is one thing that makes you feel tired or worried, and what could you say to God about it?
- How does it feel to know that God hears every word we say to Him?
- Who is someone in your life who helps you when you feel weak, and how is God like that?
- What do you think it means to keep your face set toward God, even when things get hard?
- Why do you think God wants us to walk in His light instead of making our own?
Activity Ideas
Light and Dark Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a flashlight. Have each child draw a picture of a dark night on one side of the paper and a bright star or lamp on the other. Talk about how God is the light we can trust when we cannot see the way ahead. Let them keep the drawing as a reminder.
Listening Game
Gather the children in a circle and let one child stand in the middle with their eyes closed. Another child quietly says the child’s name, and the middle child points toward the voice. Explain that God always hears us when we call, just as the child in the middle hears the friend who calls out. Repeat until everyone has had a turn.
Take-Home Promise Card
You will need an index card, a pen, and a rubber band. Help each child write the words “God helps me” on the card and decorate it. Ask them to slip it into their pocket or backpack and pull it out whenever they feel scared or tired. Explain that the card is a way to remember God is always near.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God is faithful to His people even when they have turned away. The speaker in the middle of the chapter models a life that listens to God and trusts Him in suffering, a picture that Christians have long connected with the faithfulness of Jesus. Adults can see both God’s patience with a rebellious people and His steady help for those who hear His voice.
Avoid overstating the chapter to children by implying that God will always remove hard things from their lives. The passage speaks of God’s help in trouble, not of an easy path. Keep the focus on God being near and faithful, rather than promising that difficulties will disappear.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for always hearing us when we call to You. Help us listen to You each day, and help us trust You when we feel tired or scared. Thank You for being our helper and our light. Amen.
