In His Hands

We are in God’s hands

by Revd Oliver Harrison

Suitable for Whole School (Pri)

Aims

To consider that God cares for each of us.

Preparation and materials

• You will need two boxes or trays, some newspaper and a bag of rice. Alternatively, you may wish to use two boxes or trays lined with paper towels and some plastic cups full of water.
• If possible, have some jewellery available so that the children can consider a precious stone such as a diamond.

Assembly

1. Ask the children whether any of them have ever held or looked closely at a baby.
   
   Ask the children to describe what a baby is like.
   
   Listen to a range of responses.
   
   Encourage them to think about how a baby has tiny fingernails and small feet. Babies have most of the features that adults have, but they are very small.
   
   
2. Ask the children whether they can think of anything else that is small, but very precious.
   
   Listen to a range of responses.
   
   
3. Show the jewellery to the children, if using.
   
   Explain that some stones such as diamonds are very precious. They are worth a lot of money, even though they are very small.
   
   
4. Explain that in the Bible, people are described as God’s treasure. In Malachi 3.17, God says, ‘They will be my treasured possession,’ and in Isaiah 43.4, God says, ‘You are precious and honoured in my sight, and I love you.’
   
   
5. Explain that Christians believe that people are so precious to God, and he cares for them so much, that we can describe God as ‘holding us in his hands’.
   
   
6. Invite two volunteers to take part in a competition.
   
   Give each child a box or tray to hold in one hand. In the other hand (held out flat), place a large amount of rice (so that their hand is overflowing). The volunteers need to keep their handful of rice over the tray/box so that any spillage is caught.
   
   Explain that you want the volunteers to walk quickly round the room, aiming to spill as little of the rice as possible. The person who spills the least rice is the winner.
   
   Alternatively, ask each volunteer to carry a very full cup of water over a tray lined with paper towels as they walk quickly round the room. The person who spills the least water onto the paper towels is the winner.

Time for reflection

Explain that Christians believe that although God is big and we are small, he wants to hold us in his hands because we are precious and valuable to him. They believe that we are God’s treasure, so he won’t leave us, drop us or let us go.

Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you that you love us and care for us.
Thank you that whether we are small or big, young or old, you still consider us to be precious.
Thank you that you call us your treasure.
Please help us to see the value in other people.
Please help us to care for those around us.
Amen.

Song/music

‘He’s got the whole world in his hands’, sung by the African Children’s Choir, available at: https://youtu.be/yHZUMt2Zk1I (2.09 minutes long)