GOD WILL NEVER BREAK HIS PROMISES TO US. 

SCRIPTURE | 2 Samuel 7:1-2,8-13,18-29 

CENTRAL TRUTH 

When it comes to repaying the Lord for His kindness, we’re actually powerless. We can do nothing to repay Him for saving us. Instead, we can rest in His kindness and His goodness to us through His free gifts of mercy and grace. 

KEY QUESTION 

DAVID WANTED TO DO A LOT FOR GOD, BUT HE WOUND UP SIMPLY SITTING IN HIS PRESENCE. WHAT CAN WE TAKE FROM THIS? 

KEEP IN MIND 

Some of your students may struggle with whether or not they deserve anything good from God. Well, in reality, none of us do. We’ve all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Rom. 3:23). Many of us know what it means to fall short of someone’s expectations of us—how it feels not to measure up. So, we can explain to our students the bad news that we can’t measure up to God’s standard of holiness, not even on our best day. We simply fall short. But the good news is that God loves us. He loves us so deeply that even in our sin, He sent Jesus to redeem us. He is our Father. Unlike some of our students’ earthly fathers who sometimes don’t express love, God is love (1 John 4:8). And that is why God gives us good gifts to use for His glory. 

APPLICATION 

WHEN HAVE YOU FELT LIKE YOU COULDN’T DO ENOUGH FOR GOD? HOW CAN YOU REST IN WHAT HE HAS ALREADY DONE FOR YOU? 

THE WIN 

FOR THE STUDENT: Our students’ works don’t earn God’s goodness to them. Only by faith—absolute trust in who God is—can they receive God’s gifts. They can’t ever do or be enough, but they can rest in God’s goodness by thanking the Lord through worship and prayer. They can stop striving to be good enough. This type of rest is spiritual and involves surrendering anxiety and worry to God. It practicing patience as they wait on God’s timing rather than forcing situations outside of His will. 

FOR THE LEADER: Spend some time recounting God’s gifts to you. Look back and trace His kindness and faithfulness. Then, consider sharing some of these experiences with your students as an encouragement to them.