The Sundays after Pentecost can seem to drag on at times. Throughout the long summer, we are asked to maintain our enthusiasm for faith and worship. This is where we learn again that our faith journey is a marathon and not a sprint. Surely, we’ve heard that before and maybe even could say we know it. But what does it mean?

These children’s messages correlate with the other “For the Long Haul” worship resources. The images in the children’s messages center around school lunchtime. Each week, an image that connects children with school cafeteria lunch experiences will reinforce the message. These images will also reinforce the learnings from the worship series concerning the truth that we are not alone as we continue our faith formation journey, regardless of age. It is recommended to have objects from the school cafeteria to illustrate each children’s message.

Throughout this series, children will discover that there is the ever-present Spirit of God sustaining and supporting us each day on this journey of faith. Children will also discover that our community of faith encourages us, mentors us, and learns with us. We are in relationship not only with God but with the church in the long haul. We are in community as we journey, especially for the long haul.

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost, Year A

Exodus 16:2-3, 6-7, NIRV

²In the desert the whole community told Moses and Aaron they weren’t happy with them. ³The Israelites said to them, “We wish the Lord had put us to death in Egypt. There we sat around pots of meat. We ate all the food we wanted. But you have brought us out into this desert. You must want this entire community to die of hunger.”

⁶So Moses and Aaron spoke to all the people of Israel. They said, “In the evening you will know that the Lord brought you out of Egypt. ⁷And in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord. He has heard you say you aren’t happy with him. Who are we? Why are you telling us you aren’t happy with us?”

School cafeteria image:

Lunch box

Message:

I have some questions for you this morning. Let’s play a game of “Have you ever….?” Here’s how you play. I will ask you a question, and if this situation has ever happened to you, raise your hand.

Have you ever…wished that your parents would let wake up all by yourself on a school day? (Allow children to respond.) But then you realize that your alarm clock doesn’t always work, and you might sleep too long, which would make you late for school.

Have you ever…wished that you could perform at the school talent show or on a television talent program? (Again, allow children to raise their hands to respond.) But then you realize that you have stage fright and get nervous performing in front of a large crowd of people.

One more; have you ever…wished that you could pack your own lunch for school the next day? (Allow children to respond.) But then you realize that you can’t pack it with a balanced meal to keep you from getting hungry as a grown-up can and that you need to make it through the day without getting hungry.

I have a lunch box with me to help tell today’s Bible story. How many of you have one of these? (Hold up the lunch box and allow children to raise their hands in response.)

Today’s scripture tells us that the Israelites had a wish. Does anyone know what the Israelites wished? (Allow several children to guess or respond.) As we read this story from the book of Exodus, we learn that the Israelites wished for freedom. They wanted to be free from Egypt, but when they got to the desert, they realized that freedom would not be as easy as they had thought. In Egypt, they had food to eat when they were hungry. And they were very hungry. What do you think they did when they got really hungry? What do you do when you are really hungry? (Allow children to answer.) That’s right; they complained.

Their leaders, Moses and Aaron told them that God would give them food to eat. They told the Israelites that God would provide them with plenty of food. In fact, God would give them all the food they would need. Moses and Aaron also told them that they really were complaining against God. In all their complaining, they had simply forgotten that God was the one who had given them their freedom. Even while they continued to complain, God was generous to them. God sent a special kind of food called manna. Have you ever heard of manna? (Allow children to answer.) Manna was a special food sent from heaven. It tasted a lot like wafers or crackers sweetened with honey. God gave it to the Israelites to keep them fed and alive during their travel out of Egypt through the desert and into freedom in the Promised Land.

Have you ever entered the school cafeteria when you were very hungry and could not wait to eat? (Allow children to respond by a show of hands.) This lunch box will remind us of each day when we enter the school cafeteria for lunch and of this Bible story. We may feel our stomach growl. We may be super excited to open our lunch box to eat. We may have been looking forward to lunch all morning long, and it's finally time to eat. It’s important that our lunch box is filled with food that will keep us from being hungry for the rest of the school day. God takes care of our every need by placing other people in our lives to help provide things that we can’t do by ourselves. For many of us, our parents or grandparents make sure our lunch box is filled with good food that will fill us as we finish the school day. When we sit down at lunch and open our lunch box, we fully trust that it will be filled with good, nutritious food.

The next time you open your lunch box, say a prayer thanking God for putting those people who love you so much into your life.

Prayer:

God, sometimes when I get scared, I forget all the ways you take care of me. Please help me to remember that you are always with me, especially in those moments when I am frightened. When I do forget, remind me, forgive me, and teach me to trust you more. Amen.