Proverbs 3:5-6 says this: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.” If you notice, this verse doesn’t say, “Trust in the Lord with half your heart” or “three-fourths of your heart.” He says “everyone”. That is completely, without holding back. That is hard! But God would never ask us to do something that He would not give us the ability to do. Proverbs 3:5-6 is one of the most loved Scriptures by many Christians. Here is a fun Bible school activity to help your children learn this verse along with other Bible verses about trusting in the Lord.
This is what you do:
This activity will be best played with 8 or more children. All you need for this game is a bag or bucket of number 2 tiles at half the number of children in your class. For example, if you have a total of 8 children, your bag will contain the numbers 2, 3, and 4.
How to play:
You will need to divide your class into 2 teams. Have a child from the first team come up to the front and ask one of the trust-in-God-based questions below. If the child answers correctly, he will be able to reach the bag and draw a number. This number is the number of people on this child’s team who must stand up and say the verse correctly, one at a time. You, the teacher, will choose the children who say the verse in alphabetical order of their last names. This way, each child will have a chance to say the verse at some point or another. For a team to earn points, all of the children who were chosen to say the verse must say the Scripture correctly. For each child who said the verse correctly, that team will earn 100 points. So if 2 kids said the Scripture, that team will win 200 points. If any child does not say the payment, the team earns zero points.
Before playing, introduce the lesson as follows:
Who would like to read Proverbs 3:5-6? (Have a child read the verse.) Trusting in the Lord is often one of the hardest things for a Christian to do. I think the reason for this is found in our verse today at the part where he says “and do not lean on your own understanding.” Instead of trusting in God, we think we can do it all. We think we know it all and we might wonder if God really is as powerful as he says he is. This is a crazy thought! God is God! He is almighty, omnipotent and omniscient! There is nothing He cannot do for you that is in accordance with His will for your life. He loves you! That alone is reason enough to trust Him. Here’s another question. With how much of our heart are we supposed to trust God? (Wait for “everyone” response.) That’s right! We are supposed to trust God with all our hearts. Not just half or a little. So let’s play a game today to help us learn Proverbs 3:5-6 and a little more about what it means to trust God. Before you play, let’s say Proverbs 3:5-6 several times together to help you memorize it as quickly as possible.
At this point, you are ready to play the Bible school activity based on Proverbs 3:5-6. Have fun!
12 fill-in-the-blank questions:
1. Romans 15:13 says this:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in your trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Fill in the blank: This verse says that we can overflow with _______________ if we trust Him. (wait)
2. Exodus 14:31 says this:
And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the LORD unfolded against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.
Fill in the blank: This verse says that the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in ____________. (Moses)
3. Numbers 20:12 says this:
But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because they did not trust me enough to honor me as holy in the eyes of the Israelites, they will not bring this community to the land I am giving them.”
Fill in the blank: This verse shows how Moses and Aaron did not trust the Lord. Because of this, they would not be allowed to bring ______________ to the land that God was giving them. (community or Israelites)
4. Psalm 4:5 says this:
Offer the sacrifices of the righteous and trust in the LORD.
Fill in the blank: This verse says that we are to trust in the ______________. (Gentleman)
5. Psalm 9:10 says this:
Those who know your name trust you, because you, Lord, never forsake those who seek you.
Fill in the blank: This verse says that people who know the _______________ of God trust in the Lord. (Name)
6. Psalm 13:5 says this:
But I trust in your inexhaustible love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
Fill in the blank: The author of this verse says that his heart rejoices in the _______________ of God. (greeting)
7. Psalm 20:7 says this:
Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
Fill in the blank: This verse says that some people trust ______________ instead of the name of the Lord. (horses or carts)
8. Psalm 22:4 says this:
In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted and you delivered them.
Fill in the blank: Because the ancestors of Israel put their trust in God, God ________________ them. (delivered)
9. Psalm 25:2 says this:
I trust you; let me not be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.
Fill in the blank: The author of this verse did not want his ______________ to triumph over him. (enemies)
10. Psalm 31:6 says this:
I hate those who cling to useless idols; as for me, I trust in the LORD.
Fill in the blank: If we trust in the Lord, we will not become attached to useless _______________. (idol)
11. Psalm 33:21 says this:
In him our hearts rejoice, because in his holy name we trust.
Fill in the blank: When we trust in the Lord, our hearts ________________. (join)
12. Psalm 40:3 says this:
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him.
Fill in the blank: The author of this verse said that God put a new _____________ in his mouth because he trusted Him.
