This lesson is part of God's Story of Work for Kids, a 12-week curriculum that teaches children to see work through God's perspective.

Main Idea:God designed when and where we live.

Opening

Leader: Raise your hand if any of these things seem strange:

• You see cars on the highway.
• If you need to buy clothes, you open your computer and order things to be sent right to your door.
• You can talk with a friend via video cha.t
• You travel to another city in the United States, miles from you, all within one day.
• When it's dark, you brighten your room with just a flip of a switch.
• You don't know the meaning of a word, so you look it up on the internet.

These things don't seem strange to us because it's how we live at this moment in time. Now raise your hand if any of these things seem strange:

• If you are a girl, you only wear dresses. If you are a boy you only wear breeches and boots.
• Everyone in your family sleeps in the same bed.
• Every toy you play with you have to make yourself.
• When you need soap, clothing, or butter you make it at home.
• At school, everybody from kindergarten to high school studies in the same room with the same teacher.
• If you want to travel from New York to Louisiana it takes five weeks.

These seem strange to us today, but they were all normal to anyone born in the 1600s in the United States. They would have been shocked to know that today you can travel from New York to Louisiana in just three and a half hours by flying in the sky.

Not only did God design how you look, your unique talents and abilities, and your personality, he designed the time and place where you were born.

There's a reason you were born today and not in the 1600s.

We're going to take a look at two people from the Bible. Each of them was born in a unique time and place by God's design. The first is an orphan girl who had neither mother nor father. The other is a man who has special talents for working with his hands.

Scripture Lesson

The Bible tells us about a young Jewish girl who lost her mother and father at an early age. She was cared for by her cousin Mordecai who raised her as if she was his own daughter. The girl's name was Esther and she was beautiful. She happened to be alive at a time when the King of Persia was looking for a new wife. Esther also happened to live in the citadel of Susa, the place where King Xerxes' throne was. When the king made a search for the most beautiful woman in Susa to be his bride, he picked Esther. He didn't know that Esther was Jewish. Meanwhile King Xerxes had a helper named Haman who craved power. He asked everybody to kneel in front of him, but Mordecai refused because he would not kneel to anyone except God. This angered Haman and he decided to take revenge against Mordecai. He issued an order to kill all the Jews. Mordecai asked Esther for help, but she said she couldn't do anything to help. Then Mordecai convinced her that she could.

Read aloud or ask a child to stand and read for the group.

Esther 4:12-17

When they told Mordecai what Esther had said, Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.”

Then Esther said in reply to Mordecai, “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will also fast as you do. After that I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.”

Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

Leader: Because Esther was born at this time and place and because she was faithful with the talents, abilities and opportunities given to her, she was able to step in and help rescue the Jews from being completely destroyed. Even though Esther could have been killed for it, she went to speak to the king, and eventually she revealed Haman's evil plan. The king was furious with Haman and gave Esther power to do whatever could be done to protect the Jews.

Many other people in the Bible were selected by God for special projects in the time and place where they lived. One of these was Bezalel. He was gifted with wisdom, understanding and knowledge, and with abilities in all kinds of crafts. It was no accident that he lived when the Israelites were building a meeting place for God. The job required a master craftsman, and there were no factories or machines to make things. Bezalel was just such a person.

Exodus 31:1-6

The Lord spoke to Moses: See, I have called by name Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: and I have filled him with divine spirit, with ability, intelligence, and knowledge in every kind of craft, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, in every kind of craft. Moreover, I have appointed with him Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have given skill to all the skillful, so that they may make all that I have commanded you.

Bezalel was able to do the job just like God wanted.

Exodus 38:22

Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the Lord commanded Moses.

It is no accident that Bezalel was born at that time and gifted with exactly that talents that were needed.

It's no accident that you were born with the talents, abilities and opportunities given to you at this particular time and place. Just like Esther and Bezalel, you may face a time when work is hard. But God gave you important work to do. He can also give you strength when you need it.

God is a master artist and he creatively works with time and people for his restoration project. In small group today, you will take time to think through the unique time and place God has prepared for you.

Closing

Leader: God, you made each of us so uniquely and beautifully. Not only that, you have also specifically crafted the time in history and the place you put us. Help us to see and appreciate the unique experiences, resources and opportunities you have given us. Nothing is by accident because we know that you are Lord of all. In Jesus' name, amen.

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