INTRODUCTION

Jacob Deceives Esau and Isaac

Bible Point:

God helps us grow in hard times.

Key Verse:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Big Picture:

Learn that you can place your trust in God even in tough situations.

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

Genesis 29:15-30

You might still love to laugh and have fun, but you are also starting to face new challenges. Sometimes you may feel left out, misunderstood, or weighed down by extra responsibilities. When that happens, you need to remember something important. God is always with you.

This week, you will learn that God’s love never leaves you, even when life is hard. God can bring good out of every situation. God’s presence gives you strength, courage, and hope, and you can trust that God is always close.

PLANTING THE SEED

Jacob thought his life would be full of joy—he loved Rachel and wanted to marry her. Rachel’s father, Laban, had agreed to the marriage, but first Jacob had to work for him for seven years. That seemed worth it for the chance to marry the love of his life. At last, the wedding day came. The celebration was ready, the bride was waiting, and Jacob’s heart was full of happiness.

But after the wedding, Jacob discovered he had been deceived. Instead of Rachel, he had married Leah, Rachel’s older sister. Can you imagine how hurt everyone must have felt? Jacob was heartbroken. Rachel must have felt betrayed. Leah must have felt unwanted, pushed into a marriage through a trick. Just as Jacob once tricked his brother Esau, now Jacob himself had been tricked—and the pain spread through the whole family.

Even so, God was at work in this broken situation. Jacob later married Rachel too, but the hurt of favoritism and rivalry never fully went away. Yet in the middle of this difficult family story, God brought surprising grace: Leah, the rejected and unloved wife, was chosen to be part of the family line of Jesus Christ.

This story reminds us that even when people make hurtful choices, God can bring healing and hope. God can work through broken families and hard situations to bring blessing—not just to those in the story, but to the whole world.

BIBLE POINT

God helps us grow in hard times.

KEY VERSE

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

FAMILY FUN

As a family, think of a project that needs to be done, like working in the yard, painting the bathroom, or cleaning the garage. Commit to finishing the project as a family this week. Sure, it’s hard work, but you can make it lots of fun. Sing songs together or tell progressive stories. A progressive story is where one person starts a story, usually with one sentence, and the next person adds a sentence to it, followed by the next person adding a sentence. This continues with everyone adding a sentence until the story is complete. Having fun while you work will make the time working on a hard job go by more quickly.

READY, SET, GROW!

Choose a way you’ll trust God in hard times this week:

• Write a letter to God. In the letter, tell God about the hard things you’re going through and ask God to help you.

• Draw one way you might see God being with you in a tough situation you’re facing.

• Write a praise song, thanking God for being with you in your hard times.