This lesson teaches children that God never stops remembering His people with love, even when they wander away from Him. It works well for ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes. Because Jeremiah 2 is a long, serious chapter, this lesson focuses on the story of God’s faithful love and the children’s choice to come back to Him.
Big Idea
God remembers how He has loved us, and He wants us to come back to Him when we wander away. He is always the spring of living water we can trust.
Memory Verse
Jeremiah 2:13
“For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the spring of living waters, and cut them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
(WEB)
Teach the children to cup both hands together like a cup, then pour water from one hand into the other as they say the words. This simple motion helps them remember that God is the spring of living water.
The Story: Jeremiah 2 for Kids
Long ago, God gave a message to a prophet named Jeremiah. God told Jeremiah to go and speak to the people of Jerusalem. God said, “I remember how you loved me when you were young. You followed me even in the wilderness, in a dry and empty land.” God reminded them of the kindness He had shown them in the past.
But the people had turned away. They forgot all about the God who had brought them out of Egypt and led them safely through the desert. The priests did not ask where the Lord was, and the rulers and prophets followed false gods that could not help anyone. God said, “They have left me, the spring of living waters, and dug broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”
The people began to think that other nations and other gods could take care of them. God said, “Haven’t you brought this on yourselves by leaving me?” He told them that their own choices had led to their troubles, and that turning away from Him was a bitter and sad thing to do.
God did not stop loving them, though. He spoke to them through Jeremiah, calling them back to Him. He wanted them to see clearly what they had done and to come home. God’s voice was still calling, full of patient love, even when His people had wandered far away.
Read It Together
Jeremiah 2:2
“Go, and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘The LORD says, “I remember for you the kindness of your youth, the love of your weddings; how you went after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.
(WEB)
Point out the word “remember.” Ask the children to notice that God says He remembers the kindness of their youth. Explain that God remembers His people with love, and that He wants them to remember Him too.
Jeremiah 2:5-6
5 The LORD says, “What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they have gone far from me, and have walked after worthless vanity, and have become worthless? 6 They didn’t say, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought and of the shadow of death, through a land that no one passed through, and where no man lived?’
(WEB)
Show the children how the people forgot to ask, “Where is the Lord?” Explain that forgetting God is what led them away from Him. Ask them to think about things that remind them of God’s care in their own lives.
Talk About It
- What is one good thing God has done for you that you can remember today?
- Why do you think the people in the story forgot about God who had helped them?
- What are some things people might chase after instead of God, and why do they not fill us up?
- How can you remind yourself to come back to God when you feel far away from Him?
- What do you think God feels when His people turn away, and how does He still show His love?
Activity Ideas
Draw a Living Water Picture
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a tall, clear spring of water on one side of the paper and a cracked, leaky jar on the other side. Talk together about how God is the spring that always gives life, while the cracked jar cannot keep water inside. Let them add a small heart in the middle of the spring to show God’s love.
Living Water Relay
You will need two empty cups, a bowl, and water. Divide the children into two teams. Each child carries a small amount of water from the bowl to an empty cup on the far side of the room, using a spoon. Explain that carrying water with a broken cup is hard, just like trying to live without God. Let the children cheer each other on as they go.
Remember God Card
You will need index cards, a pen, and a few stickers if you have them. Have each child write or draw one way God has shown them love this week. They can decorate the card with stickers and take it home. Encourage them to place it somewhere they will see it, like by their bed or on the fridge, as a reminder to remember God’s faithful love.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Jeremiah 2 shows that God’s people had broken their covenant with Him by turning to idols and trusting in human power. Yet God still speaks with love and calls them back, reminding them of His past kindness. The chapter teaches that sin always leads to emptiness, but God’s invitation to return is always open.
When teaching children, avoid overstating the harsh judgment in the chapter. Keep the focus on God’s patient love and His desire for His people to come home. Children need to know that God is still calling them back, rather than being frightened by the consequences described in the passage.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank You for remembering us with love and for being the spring of living water. Help us remember You every day and come back to You when we wander away. Thank You that You never stop calling us home. Amen.
