This lesson teaches children that God remembers all the wonderful things he has done for his people and that he keeps forgiving them even when they turn away. The lesson suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes in class.
Big Idea
God never stops loving us, even when we forget him. He keeps his promises and always forgives when we come back to him.
Memory Verse
Nehemiah 9:17
And refused to obey. They weren’t mindful of your wonders that you did among them, but hardened their neck, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage. But you are a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and didn’t forsake them.
(WEB)
Teach the children to put one hand over their heart and then open it wide, like God opening his arms. Say the words slowly while doing the motion together, then repeat it three times until the whole class can join in.
The Story: Nehemiah 9 for Kids
A long time ago, the people of Israel came back home to Jerusalem after being away for many years. They had walls to rebuild and a city to fix. One day, on the twenty-fourth day of the month, they gathered together. They wore rough sackcloth and had dirt on their heads, because they felt very sorry for the wrong things they had done.
The Levites stood up on a high platform and called out loudly to God. They said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God forever!” Then they began to remember what God had done for their family long ago. They told about Abraham, whom God chose and led far away from his home. God promised that his children would have a land of their own.
Next, they remembered how God rescued their ancestors from Egypt. God split the Red Sea so his people could walk through on dry ground. In the wilderness, God gave them bread from the sky every morning and water from a rock when they were thirsty. He even led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
But the people often turned away from God. They made a golden calf and forgot all the wonders he had shown them. Still, God did not give up on them. Each time they cried out to him, he heard them and forgave them. The people said to God, “You are gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and full of love.” That is the kind of God we serve, and he is still faithful today.
Read It Together
Nehemiah 9:6
You are the LORD, even you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their army, the earth and all things that are on it, the seas and all that is in them, and you preserve them all. The army of heaven worships you.
(WEB)
Point out that God made the heavens, the earth, and the seas, and he takes care of everything he made. Ask the children to name something God made that they see every day, like the sky, trees, or water.
Nehemiah 9:20
You gave also your good Spirit to instruct them, and didn’t withhold your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst.
(WEB)
Show the children how God gave his people food and water in the wilderness, and how he also taught them. Explain that God gives us what we need every day and helps us learn how to live his way.
Nehemiah 9:31
“Nevertheless in your manifold mercies you did not make a full end of them, nor forsake them; for you are a gracious and merciful God.
(WEB)
Read this verse slowly and explain that even when the people failed, God did not destroy them completely. Remind the children that God is always kind and merciful when we come back to him.
Talk About It
- What is one wonderful thing God did for his people in this story?
- How do you think the people felt when they remembered God’s kindness?
- Why did God keep forgiving the people even when they forgot about him?
- What is one way you can remember to thank God for what he has done?
- When you make a mistake, how can you come back to God the way the people did?
Activity Ideas
Cloud and Fire Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and cotton balls. Have each child draw a dark night scene, then glue a cotton ball cloud at the top and draw a small orange flame at the bottom. Explain that God guided his people with a cloud by day and fire by night, so he is always leading us too.
Follow the Leader Walk
Clear a space in the room and place a few chairs in a winding path to act as the wilderness. Have one child lead the way slowly while the others follow closely behind. Stop often and let the group pretend to be thirsty, then bring them a paper cup of water, reminding them that God provided for his people.
Thank You Jar at Home
You will need a clean jar, paper slips, and a pencil. Each day, have the child write one thing God gave them or one way he helped them on a slip of paper and drop it into the jar. At the end of the week, read the slips aloud together and thank God for each one, just as the Levites remembered God’s goodness.
Teacher Notes
This chapter is a prayer of confession and remembrance. The people look back over their whole history and see that God was faithful again and again, even when they were not. For adults, it shows that honest repentance and remembering God’s past faithfulness go together, and that God’s mercy is the foundation for every new start.
Avoid suggesting that children must earn God’s forgiveness by being good enough. The story shows that God forgives because of his own loving character, not because the people deserved it. Keep the focus on God’s kindness rather than on the people’s failures.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, we thank you for remembering us and loving us every day. Thank you for the food, water, and light you give us. When we forget you or do wrong, please help us come back to you, because you are kind and always ready to forgive. Amen.
