This lesson teaches children that God is powerful and wise, even when we cannot understand everything He does. It suits children aged 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach, including the activity.
Big Idea
God is bigger than the storms, and He knows all about them. We can trust Him even when we do not understand how things work.
Memory Verse
Job 37:5
God thunders marvelously with his voice. He does great things, which we can’t comprehend.
(WEB)
Stand tall with your arms stretched up like a tree, then slowly sweep them out wide like thunder rolling across the sky. Do this motion each time you say the verse together, and the children will remember it.
The Story: Job 37 for Kids
Long ago, a man named Elihu was talking with his friend Job. Job had been going through very hard times, and he wanted to understand why. Elihu wanted Job to think about how great God is. So he began to speak about the storms that God makes in the sky.
Elihu told Job to listen carefully to the thunder. He said the sound comes from God’s voice, and it rolls across the whole sky. Lightning flashes all the way to the ends of the earth. Then the snow falls, and the rain pours down, because God sends them.
When the storm comes, the animals run for cover and hide in their dens. The cold winds blow out of the north, and even the water can turn to ice. Elihu said that God is the One who makes all of these things happen, and no one can stop Him.
Elihu then asked Job a question that made him stop and think. He asked, “Do you know how God controls the clouds and the lightning?” Job did not know the answer. Elihu reminded him that only God knows all things, and only God is perfect in His wisdom.
Elihu ended by saying that God is powerful and fair, and He does not do wrong. Because God is so wise and so great, people should respect Him and trust Him. Even when we cannot see the whole picture, God still sees everything clearly.
Read It Together
Job 37:14
“Listen to this, Job. Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.
(WEB)
Point out that Elihu asks Job to stop and think about God’s wonderful works. Explain that stopping to think about God is a good habit, especially when we feel confused or worried.
Job 37:16
Do you know the workings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge?
(WEB)
Show the children that God knows everything about the clouds and the sky. Remind them that God is perfect in knowledge, so His plans are always good, even when we cannot see them.
Job 37:23
We can’t reach the Almighty. He is exalted in power. In justice and great righteousness, he will not oppress.
(WEB)
Help the children see that God is powerful and also fair. Explain that He will not do wrong or hurt people unfairly, so we can trust His justice and kindness.
Talk About It
- What is the loudest sound you have ever heard, and how did it make you feel?
- When a storm comes, what do you do to stay safe, and who helps you feel calm?
- Why do you think God knows things that we do not know?
- How can you remember that God is bigger than anything that scares you?
- What is one thing God made that you think is amazing, and why?
Activity Ideas
Thunder and Lightning Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a big sky with clouds, lightning bolts, and falling rain. While they draw, talk together about how God made the sky and knows all about the storms. Let them write one word on their picture that describes how big God is.
Storm Freeze Game
You will need an open space where children can move safely. Call out “thunder” and let the children stomp their feet loudly. Call out “snow” and they can slowly drop to the floor like falling flakes. Call out “freeze” and everyone must stop completely still, just like the water turning to ice. Play a few rounds and talk about how God controls every storm.
Take-Home Cloud Jar
You will need a clear jar, shaving cream, and a few drops of blue food coloring. Let each child fill the jar partly with shaving cream to make a cloud. Then have them add a drop or two of blue coloring on top and watch it slowly drip down like rain. Encourage them to show this at home and tell their family one thing they learned about God’s power.
Teacher Notes
Job 37 is part of Elihu’s speech to Job, in which he points to the power and wisdom of God in the storms of nature. For adults, the passage reminds us that God is far greater than we can understand, and that His ways are good even when they are hard to see. It invites us to humility and trust rather than demanding explanations from Him.
Be careful not to suggest to children that every storm or hard event is a direct punishment or lesson from God. Keep the focus on God’s power, wisdom, and faithfulness, and let them know that it is good to ask questions and bring their worries to Him.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for being so big and so wise. We know You control the thunder, the rain, and the snow. Help us trust You when we feel scared or do not understand. Thank You that You see everything and care for us. Amen.
