This lesson teaches children that God is wise and good, and that he takes care of people who trust him even when trouble comes. It works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes from start to finish.
Big Idea
God is always wise and kind, and he helps us when we trust him, even when things are hard.
Memory Verse
Job 5:8
“But as for me, I would seek God. I would commit my cause to God…
(WEB)
Put both hands on your heart, then lift them up toward the ceiling as you say the words slowly. This motion reminds children that trusting God means turning to him when they need help.
The Story: Job 5 for Kids
Eliphaz was one of Job’s friends, and he came to talk with Job while Job was very sad. Job had lost his children, his animals, and his health, and everyone around him was worried. Eliphaz told Job to call out and see if anyone would answer him, because trouble had come to him.
Eliphaz said that people who are foolish and angry often get hurt by their own bad feelings. He had seen this happen many times. He told Job that trouble does not just appear out of nowhere, but that people are born into a world where hard things happen. Eliphaz was trying to explain why bad things happen, and he said that sparks fly upward when fire burns, just as trouble comes to people.
Then Eliphaz spoke about God, who does great things that no one can fully understand. God sends rain to the earth and water to the fields, and he lifts up people who are low and comforts those who are sad. He is able to stop the plans of people who try to trick others, and he protects the poor and needy from people who are cruel. Eliphaz said that God helps those who have no one else to help them.
Eliphaz also said that God corrects people, and he told Job that this is a good thing. He said that God wounds and then binds up, and that he can deliver people from many troubles. Eliphaz told Job that if he would trust God, God would keep him safe and give him peace, and his family would be blessed. He said, “Hear it, and know it for your good.”
Eliphaz’s words were meant to comfort Job, and they point to a God who is powerful, wise, and faithful to those who turn to him.
Read It Together
Job 5:9
Who does great things that can’t be fathomed, marvelous things without number…
(WEB)
Point out that God does things that we cannot fully understand, and that his works are too many to count. Ask children to name something amazing they have seen God make, like a sunrise or a flower.
Job 5:10-11
10 Who gives rain on the earth, and sends waters on the fields; 11 so that he sets up on high those who are low, those who mourn are exalted to safety.
(WEB)
Show children how God sends rain to water the fields and lifts up those who are sad or low. Explain that God cares about people who feel down and wants to help them feel safe again.
Job 5:19
He will deliver you in six troubles; yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.
(WEB)
Tell children that God promises to help us through many troubles. Encourage them to see that God is with them in every hard time, not just the big ones, and that they can ask him for help anytime.
Talk About It
- What is one thing that makes you feel safe when you are scared?
- How can you tell that God is powerful when you look at the world around you?
- What is something hard that you have been through, and how did God help you?
- Why do you think God wants us to come to him when we are sad or worried?
- What is one way you can trust God this week when things feel hard?
Activity Ideas
Rain and Flower Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a small cup of water. Ask each child to draw a flower or a field, then gently sprinkle a few drops of water on the paper to show how God gives rain. Talk together about how God takes care of plants and people, and invite children to add a sun or cloud above their picture.
Lift Me Up Game
You will need a clear open space and a few soft pillows. Have children lie low on the floor like they are sad, then slowly stand up with their arms raised as you count to five. Say that God lifts up those who are low, and let them repeat the motion a few times while saying the memory verse together.
Safe Place Take-Home
You will need an index card, a pencil, and a small envelope for each child. Ask each child to draw a picture of a place where they feel safe, like a bedroom or a park, and write “God keeps me safe” on the card. Encourage them to put the card in the envelope and keep it somewhere they will see it each day to remember that God is with them.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Job 5 is part of a longer speech by Eliphaz, one of Job’s friends, who believed that suffering always comes from sin and that God always rewards the righteous with comfort. Job’s story later shows that these claims are incomplete, and God himself speaks against the friends’ theology at the end of the book. Adults can appreciate that this chapter contains real truths about God’s power and care while also recognizing its limits.
When teaching children, avoid suggesting that people who suffer must have done something wrong or that God will always remove every trouble. Focus instead on God’s character as wise, powerful, and kind, and on the comfort of trusting him in every season, including the hard ones.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, we know you are wise and powerful, and we are glad that you care for us. Help us to trust you when we feel scared or sad, and remind us that you are always near. Thank you for keeping us safe and for loving us every day. Amen.
