THINK TOGETHER
Have you ever wanted to run away from home? What happened?
READ TOGETHER
I ran away from home once. I got mad at my mom and left the house. I walked around the block a couple times and went home. I don’t think my mom ever knew I was gone.
The Bible tells us the story of Abraham’s grandson, Jacob. Jacob had a slightly older twin brother named Esau. In those days the oldest son received a blessing and an inheritance from mom and dad. Do you know what an inheritance is? It is a child’s share of their parent’s money and land. God had promised Jacob that he would receive the blessings and inheritance even though he wasn’t the oldest son. But Jacob would have to wait and trust God to make it happen.
But Jacob didn’t want to wait. He was impatient. So Jacob decided to trick his brother and lie to his father. Esau was furious. Isaac was sad. Jacob was afraid (and guilty). So Jacob ran away from home, and from God. But can anyone run away from God? Nope. Why? Because God goes with us wherever we go. God never stops loving us. In fact, when Jacob stopped running and laid down to sleep for the night, he had an incredible dream from God. Here’s what he dreamed:
Genesis 28:12-13. And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the Lord stood above [it].
Jacob saw a ladder that connected heaven to earth! Jacob saw angels! Jacob saw God! Wow! Then God spoke to Jacob and promised to never, ever leave him, no matter what. And God has made that same promise to us in Jesus. Jesus called himself “Jacob’s ladder,” and said that if we trust in his sacrifice on the cross for us we will always be connected to God. No matter what. Even when we’re afraid, and even when we’ve done wrong things.
Because of Jesus God will always be with us, no matter what.
With Jesus we can talk about what makes us afraid and what we’ve done wrong.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Use a staircase to teach this important truth to your children. Jesus doesn’t sit at the top of the stairs as we climb up to him. Jesus is the whole staircase. No matter where we are on the stairs, we are with Jesus, and God is with us. And that is good news!
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, thank you for never leaving me alone, even when I try to run away. Amen.
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