LESSON 13: GOD IS OUR BEST FRIEND
In set five of grade 2 lessons, we’re looking at how to be a good friend. Lesson 13 focuses on the one true friend, that we will always have by our side – God. Because he loves each one of us and cares for us all, He overlooks our shortcomings and forgives us when we forget to follow His guidance. Knowing that God is there for us always, makes us feel we’re never alone. Of course, there are many other friends we have as well, some stay with us for a long time, and some come and go. It’s these relationships we need to nourish and look after.
For lessons 13,14 and 15 we will memorize the prayer below
O Lord! Unto Thee I repair for refuge, and toward all Thy signs I set my heart. O Lord! Whether traveling or at home, and in my occupation or in my work, I place my whole trust in Thee. Grant me then Thy sufficing help so as to make me independent of all things, O Thou Who art unsurpassed in Thy mercy! Bestow upon me my portion, O Lord, as Thou pleasest, and cause me to be satisfied with whatsoever thou hast ordained for me. Thine is the absolute authority to command.
The Báb
SEND A POSTCARD TO A FRIEND
The following explanation will help you present the quotation that the children will memorize today:
None of us is alone in this world. There are so many people alongside each one of us,
encouraging and assisting us as we grow—our fathers and mothers, our aunts and uncles, our brothers and sisters, our cousins and classmates, our teachers and neighbors.
Throughout our lives, we make friends with more and more people. Some of these friendships will last a long time, and others may not. But no matter how many come and go from our lives, we know that God is always with us. He loves each one of us and cares for us all. He has created every good thing in this world for our well-being and has given us laws and teachings to guide and protect us. He overlooks our shortcomings and faults and sees that which is praiseworthy in each one of us. If we do something wrong, He forgives us. He is the All-Merciful, the Compassionate. We listen to His counsels and follow them, through times of joy and times of difficulty, because we know that He is our Creator and our true Friend.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá explained that we should thank God under all conditions and put all our affairs in His hands. We should not dwell on the unpleasant things of life but should trust in the bounty and bestowals of God. His Bounty never ceases to flow, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá assured us. It is everlasting. What chance do we have of attaining true happiness if we turn away from God’s blessings and forget His love for us. We should always remember, as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá told us, that God is more a friend to each one of us than we are to ourselves. Let us memorize the following quotation:
Incline your hearts, 0 people of God, unto the counsels of your true, your incomparable Friend
‘Abdu’l-Bahá,
MEANING OF WORDS
Incline
Emmet noticed that all the flowers in the field leaned in the direction of the sun. The flowers were inclined towards the sun.
From the back of the classroom, Tina was not able to hear the teacher well, so she leaned forward and turned her head to listen to him. Tina inclined her ear towards the teacher in order to hear him better.
True
The table in the kitchen was old and scratched, so Ludo decided to remove the layer of paint, revealing the beautiful wood underneath. When Ludo finished, the true color of the wood could be seen.
Adam always did what he promised. His words always matched his deeds. Adam was true to his word.
Incomparable
The Himalaya Mountains are the tallest in the world. No other mountains compare with them in their grandeur. The Himalayan Mountains are incomparable in their majesty and grandeur.
The melody touched her heart like no other she had ever heard. She found the melody incomparable in its beauty.
MEMORIZATION AID FOR QUOTE
PICTURES TO REMEMBER THE QUOTE HERE
Maye Mngani (O Friend)” by Sanele & Xolani
The following chant will be part of our story, you can listen to it now or wait and include it as part of the narrative.
A Story From The Early History Of The Faith
You can now tell the children the following story from the early history of the Faith, helping them to see that trust in God will strengthen them in times of difficulty and will enable them to pass through such times without letting bitterness into their hearts.
You already know that, before ‘Abdu’l-Baha and His family were forced to leave their homeland, His Father, Baha’u’llah, was arrested and sent to prison by an unjust government, which was fearful of the truth of the Divine message He proclaimed. During that time, not only Baha’u’llah but many of those who responded to the call of this message were taken from their homes and families and locked in the most terrible prison, an underground dungeon, where they were bound in heavy chains.
The prisoners could breathe no fresh air and the floor was covered in filth and crawling with rats and insects. No light reached the dungeon; it was always icy cold. As the prisoners sat facing each other in that horrible place, Baha’u’llah taught them to chant verses that reaffirmed their trust in God and helped to remind them that God would never ask more of them than they could give, that He would grant them the strength they needed to withstand whatever oppression they might suffer and to cling fast to the truth they held in their hearts. As evening came on, they would begin to raise their call.
“God is sufficient unto me;” one row would call out, “He verily is the All-Sufficing!” Then the other row would respond, “In Him let the trusting trust.” Throughout the night, they would repeat these words, so loudly that the sound of their uplifted voices reached even the king in his palace nearby.
When he heard the sound of the prisoners, the cruel king asked from where it came. He was told that this was the sound of the prisoners who were locked in the dungeon with Baha’u’llah. The king said nothing more. It was clear that no matter what horrors he might inflict on these prisoners, there was nothing he could do to turn them away from the truth of the Cause they had embraced.
Draw any part of the story
DRAMA / GAMES
The following activities will contribute to the development of skills and abilities needed to perform creative drama:
After the children have done the usual stretching exercise in their imaginary squares, ask them to make their bodies as tiny as possible, as large as possible, as low as possible, as high as possible, as stiff as possible, and as wrinkled as possible.
Begin the next exercise by asking one of the students to leave the area where the class is being held. This child is the “explorer”. Have the rest of the children choose a spot that the “explorer” must find when he or she returns, and then help them decide on a posture he or she must take upon reaching that spot. Make sure that the posture chosen is not too difficult. For example, they might want the “explorer” to stand at a particular spot under a tree with his or her right hand on its trunk. The children will communicate this to the “explorer” by clapping. As the “explorer” gets closer and closer to the correct spot, the clapping should get louder and louder. The farther away the “explorer” gets from the spot, the softer the clapping. Once the “explorer” has found the correct spot, clapping is used in the same way to help him or her find the right posture. If time allows, repeat the exercise several times so that every child is given the opportunity to be the “explorer” at least once.
As always, the next set of activities is related to the theme of the lesson: the individual’s relationship with God. Tell your students that today they will try a new activity. First, help them to remember the main points of the story they heard of the prisoners in the Siyah-Chal:
- Baha’u’llah, together with many others, was arrested and put in a dungeon by an unjust government because of the Divine message He proclaimed.
- The dungeon was filthy and foul.
- The prisoners were locked in two rows with heavy chains.
- Baha’u’llah taught them to chant verses throughout the night.
- One row of the prisoners would chant, “God is sufficient unto me. He verily is the All-Sufficing!”
- The other would respond, “In Him let the trusting trust.”
- Their voices were so loud that they could be heard by the king in his palace.
Once you have reviewed the story with the children, ask a few of them to stand up in turn and recite the story for the rest of the class to the best of their ability. You should remind them to stand straight as they tell the story, with their arms to their sides, and help and encourage them if they falter in places.
FRIEND ALBUM
Make a lovely friend album.
Make Paper Chain Dolls and Decorate and if you like, write a quote or two about friendship!
Paper Doll How To WEBSITE Here
Create a refuge in our home
Choose a place, that could be a corner of your room. Set up a space that makes you feel relaxed. Ideas: pillows, flowers, magazines, prayer books.
DRAW SCENES FROM THE STORY
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Review the quotation from today’s lesson and then help the children to recite the quotations learned in Grade 1 related to love and selflessness.
Bahá’u’lláh
O, Friend! In the garden of thy heart plant naught but the rose of love . . .
Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself.
Bahá’u’lláh
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