📖

The All-Night Wrestling Match

Wrestling with God

Day 28of 180
Week 6of 36
25Minutes
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🖨️ Download Worksheet (PDF)
🎯 What You'll Learn

Learning Objectives

1

Understand that God personally encounters people

2

Learn about Jacob's transformative encounter with God

3

Recognize that God can change our hearts

📖 Scripture Connection

Genesis 32:24-26

“Jacob was left alone, and wrestled with a man until the breaking of the day. When he saw that he didn't prevail against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh, and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was strained as he wrestled.”

— Genesis 32:24-26 (WEB)

Demonstrates God's personal interaction with His children

📦 Materials Needed

  • Soft wrestling mat or blanket
  • Name tags
  • Markers
  • World English Bible
📚 Step-by-Step

Lesson Plan

1Opening (3 min)

Welcome to today's BibleMouse adventure! Yesterday, Jacob was alone by the river. Today, we'll discover something amazing that happened that night!

💭 Review Question: What do you remember about Jacob being alone by the river?
2Teaching (8 min)

In tonight's BibleMouse lesson, we'll learn about a special nighttime wrestling match between Jacob and God!

📌 Key Talking Points:
  • Jacob was alone and worried about meeting his brother Esau
  • A mysterious man appeared and wrestled with Jacob all night
  • This was actually God in human form!
💬 Discussion Questions:
  • Have you ever felt scared and needed God's help?
  • What do you think it would be like to wrestle with God?
3Activity: Gentle Wrestling Match (10 min)
game

A supervised, gentle wrestling activity that helps children understand Jacob's experience

📝 Instructions:
  1. Put on name tags
  2. Spread out on the soft mat
  3. Demonstrate gentle, safe wrestling movements
  4. Take turns being 'Jacob' and the 'mysterious man'
  5. Remember: Safety and gentleness are most important!
🔄 Variations:

Simpler: Soft movement mimicking wrestling without actual contact

Challenge: Add storytelling elements while 'wrestling'

4Closing (3 min)

Review of Jacob's special night with God

📝 Review Questions:
  • What happened to Jacob during the night?
  • How did God show He was with Jacob?
🙏 Prayer:

Dear God, thank You for being with us, even when we feel alone.

Coming up: Tomorrow, we'll learn how God gave Jacob a new name!

💎 Memory Verse

2 Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

— 2 Corinthians 5:17 (WEB)

🎯 Activity: Memory Verse Wrestling: Children gently 'wrestle' while reciting the verse, taking turns saying words

👨‍👩‍👧 For Parents

Teaching Notes

📚 Background:

This lesson shows God's personal, transformative interaction with individuals

💡 Teaching Tips:
  • Emphasize God's love and personal care
  • Keep physical activities gentle and supervised
  • Encourage questions and imagination
🤔 Common Struggles:

Children might find the abstract concept of wrestling with God challenging

👀 Signs of Understanding:

Child's understanding of God's personal nature

🚀 Want More?

Extension Activities

  • BibleMouse Printables Library: Jacob wrestling coloring page
  • Create a dramatic retelling of the story using puppets

Ready for Tomorrow?

Great job completing today's lesson!

Continue to Day 29 →Back to Bible