Into exile...
Exile means being stuck where you do not want to be. The people of God were stuck. They were being marched into the desert by the Babylonians. They had to eat when the soldiers said eat, they had to sleep when the soldiers said to sleep and they had to work when the soldiers said to work. It wasn’t a very fun time for the people of God.
The people of God missed their home and their temple. But as the people of God were marched through the desert they began to realize that they didn’t need their temple to worship their God. They could worship right where they were. It was a great moment to realize that God was with them during these sad days.
Two generation, 70 years, later they were able to return to Jerusalem. Yet some people chose not to return because they had created a new life for their families in the new place. They also fully knew that they could worship their God where ever life takes them.
This week our Sunday School lesson offers us the hope found in Christ. The knowledge that no matter where we are or what we are doing, we can count on Christ to be at our side. While the people of God were in the desert they had to build baskets to carry their food and belongings. Our lesson offers multiple ways to create baskets using rope, yarn, raffia, paper bags, paper plates, construction paper and even baking with flour. The lesson also includes DIY candle making crafts. All of these crafts could potentially be great Christmas presents for your loved ones.