GOD GIVES US FOOD

by Kimber Bailey Scott

Genesis 1:11-12, 29; 9:3

SING:

God Cares for Me

(tune: Farmer in the Dell)

God Cares for me, and God cares for you.

All the time, from morning ‘til night,

Yes, God Cares for us

(point to yourself and to others at appropriate times)

God is so Good

God is so good, God is so good.

God is so good. God is good to me.

(God gives me food, God gives me water, God cares for me, etc.)

RHYME:

Listening Rhyme

By Dorothy Fay Richards

First our feet go tap-tap-tap (tap feet on floor)

Then our hands go clap-clap-clap (clap hands)

We look with both our eyes. (make glasses by circling fingers around eyes)

We hear with both our ears. (cup hands behind ears)

And then our hands fall in our laps (fold hands in lap)

PRAY:

Pull out your Bible from your magic bag. Hold out your Bible. Our Bible tells us that “God is good.” God takes good care of us in many ways. Let’s bow our heads, fold our hands and close our eyes; then we can tell God, “Thank You, God for loving us and caring for us. Thank You for giving us good food. In Jesus’s name, amen.”

LESSON:

Pull out a spoon and a plate or bowl from your Magic bag. What do we use these for? Right! We use our utensils like forks and spoons to eat off a plate or our of a bowl. What do you like to eat?

Our Bible story is about how we get our food. God provides food for us. Let’s find out how God does that. Put the spoon and bowl back in your bag and pull out your Bible. Do you remember when we learned about how God created the whole world? Hold us a small world or globe. Who can tell me about some of the things God created? Yes! God created the sun and made the animals. Accept all answers and praise them for their good memories.

On the day that God made all the trees and plants, hold up some flowers, God did an extra special nice thing for us – He gave us food! Did you know that all the food we eat comes from the plants and trees that God made? It does! Have you ever had a garden at your house? What kinds of food did you get from your garden? Pull whatever produce you have in your magic bag. Tomatoes, beans, carrots, strawberries, corn, lettuce, spinach, radishes and more! Do you know where we get potatoes? From a bush that farmers grow! The bread and pancakes and cookies we eat come from flower that is made from wheat that grows in the ground. We get some food from trees – oranges, apples, pinapples, coconuts, bananas and some nuts all grow on trees.

Isn’t that a wonderful way to get our food? God knew that people and animals would need to eat in order to be strong and grow so He told us right in the Bible Point to Genesis 1:29 “I give you every green plant for food.”

God is very good to give us so many different kinds of yummy food, isn’t He? Let’s thank God for the good food He gives to us!

Thank You, God for loving us and caring for us. Thank You for giving us good food. In Jesus’s name, amen.

APPLY:

How do we get food? Talk about what grows on trees and what grows in the ground. Emphasize that even man made food starts with the raw materials God provides and other food comes from the animals that God made.

Show some plates of food. Have you ever been really hungry? Does your tummy ever say “Grrr” because it is hungry? God is god to us. He cares for us by giving us the food we need. Why does God give us food? Yes because God is good!

If a precocious child points out that we also eat animals, read Genesis 9:3 to the class “Everything that moves, everything that is alive, is yours for food. Earlier I gave you the green plants. And now I give you everything for food.” But this subject may upset some kids so use discretion.

MEMORY VERSE:

The Bible tells us that God made the world. The Bible says, “God is good.“ Can you say those words with me? Say them louder. Say them softer.

Give each one a Bible (or share) & ask each to say, “GOD IS GOOD” Psalm 73:1

SNACK:

Before you begin, warn the children that the toaster is very hot and that they must not touch it. Have the toaster in a safe position, away from where it would be tempting to touch, and where the cord cannot be tripped over. Toast the bread for the children and allow them to butter the bread and sprinkle on the cinnamon and sugar.

As all of you work say, God is good to give us our food. He gives us crunchy toast, smooth butter, tasty cinnamon and sweet sugar. Isn’t God good to us? What other foods does God give us? Which food is your favorite?

GAME:

1. Tune: Mary had a little lamb

We can sit like a pumpkin, a pumpkin, a pumpkin.

We can sit like a pumpkin, just like this.

(sit with legs crossed and arms forming a circle in front)

Add other actions such as rock like bananas, roll like a big round orange, spin like a bunch of grapes and wobble like eggs in a crate, etc.

2. Use fruits such as an apple, orange and banana (not too ripe) and vegetables such as a carrot, some string beans and a potato. Place on of your food items in the pillow case without the children seeing what you put in.

Have a child reach inside the bag and feel the food. Ask What does this food feel like? Is it hard or soft? Is it round? What food do you think it is? After the child guesses let him pull it out and see if he was right. If he is wrong say something like Oh, I think you found an apple, but it does feel a little like an orange. That was a good guess…God is good! He gives us good food. Thank You God for apples. Continue in this way with other foods.

NEED:

Magic bag

Bible

Spoon

Plate or bowl

Small picture of the world or globe

Flowers

Produce (carrots, apple, banana, potato, etc.)

Plates of food (show at least 3 different food groups – vegetables, fruit, bread & cheese are easy)

Toaster

Bread

Butter

Cinnamon-Sugar mix

Napkins

Wet wipes

Plastic knives

Vegetables

Fruits

Pillow case