The Placemats of God’s Presence

A Three-Week Children’s Series for Thanksgiving Season

Series Overview

Each child receives a paper placemat (or heavy cardstock). Each week, the children will have a different image to color (with crayons) that reinforces each week’s lesson. At the end of the series, the children will be able to use the placemats on their dining tables during meals, reminding them and their family of God’s presence in everyday life. By the end of the series, the children will have several placemats, colored and ready to use at Thanksgiving. The placemats were designed through the use of ChatGPT, so feel free to create your own versions of these images.

Note: These images were developed by Discipleship Ministries staff using AI tools in alignment with our AI Usage Guidelines. In this case, all final images were reviewed and approved by human contributors.

Week 2: God Is with Us in a World Made New

Isaiah 65:17-25, New International Reader's Version

The Lord Will Create New Heavens and a New Earth

17 “I will create new heavens and a new earth.
The things that have happened before will not be remembered.
They will not even enter your minds.
18 So be glad and full of joy forever
because of what I will create.
I will cause others to take delight in Jerusalem.
They will be filled with joy
when they see its people.
19 And I will be full of joy because of Jerusalem.
I will take delight in my people.
Weeping and crying
will not be heard there anymore.

20 “Babies in Jerusalem will no longer
live only a few days.
Old people will not fail
to live for a very long time.
Those who live to the age of 100
will be thought of as mere children when they die.
Those who die before they are 100
will be considered as having been under God’s curse.
21 My people will build houses and live in them.
They will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They will no longer build houses
only to have others live in them.
They will no longer plant crops
only to have others eat them.
My people will live to be as old as trees.
My chosen ones will enjoy for a long time
the things they have worked for.
23 Their work will not be worthless anymore.
They will not have children who are sure to face sudden terror.
Instead, I will bless them.
I will also bless their children after them.
24 Even before they call out to me, I will answer them.
While they are still speaking, I will hear them.
25 Wolves and lambs will eat together.
Lions will eat straw like oxen.
Serpents will eat nothing but dust.
None of those animals will harm or destroy
anything or anyone on my holy mountain of Zion,”
says the Lord.

Objects:

Sad face/smiley face cards, stuffed animals (wolf, lamb, lion, cow), a placemat with a coloring page of a feast table, and crayons.

Click here to download placemat image.

Message:

Close your eyes for a moment. Imagine the happiest place you know, maybe a birthday party, a soccer game, or Thanksgiving dinner with your family. Can you see it? (Pause while children close their eyes.)

Now, open your eyes. In today’s Bible passage, God gave Isaiah a promise: “I will create new heavens and a new earth. So be glad and full of joy forever!” That means God is creating a brand-new world where everyone is happy, no one cries, and peace fills the earth.

Look at what I have here (show sad face, pause, then smiley face). In God’s world, the sad face is gone, and the smiley face stays forever. Isn’t that wonderful?

Let’s try this together. I’ll say something, and you can show me with your face if it’s a sad face or a smiley face. Ready?

When you fall and scrape your knee. (Children: sad face)
When someone gives you a big hug. (Children: smiley face)
When you lose your favorite toy. (Children: sad face)
When you eat your favorite ice cream. (Children: smiley face)
When someone says something mean. (Children: sad face)
When you get to spend time with your best friend. (Children: smiley face)

That’s right! In God’s new world, all those sad things, scrapes, mean words, tears, will be gone. And the smiles will last forever because God promises joy and peace for everyone.

And listen to this, wolves and lambs will eat together! (Show toys or stuffed animals.) Do wolves and lambs usually share lunch? (Allow children to respond.) And lions will eat grass like cows. (Pretend to munch grass; let kids copy.) That means no fighting. That means no hurting, only peace.

Let’s practice some more. I’ll give you a situation, and you tell me if it’s fighting (shake your head no) or peace (give a big smile and hug your arms). Ready?

Two kids grab the same toy and yell at each other. (Children: fighting)
Two kids share their crayons while coloring. (Children: peace)
A brother pushes his sister off the swing. (Children: fighting)
Friends sit together at lunch and laugh. (Children: peace)
Someone says, “You can’t play with us!” (Children: fighting)
Everyone joins in a big game together. (Children: peace)

That’s what God’s new world will look like: peace everywhere, no fighting, no hurting. Can you imagine how amazing that will be?

On your placemat today, there’s a big feast table that you can color. (Show page.) Let’s color the food and maybe draw more food you’d want at God’s joyful meal. What foods would you add? Pizza, cupcakes, strawberries? (Let children add their choices.)

When you sit at your table this week, this feast will remind you that God’s joy is for everyone, and we can help by sharing kindness, food, and love right now.

Closing Prayer:

Repeat after me, with celebration movements:

(Clap hands) “God, thank you for joy!”
(Arms wide) “Thank you for peace!”
(Point around the circle) “Help us share with everyone.”
(Hands together) “Amen.”

Between the Sundays: Family Conversation Starters

Isaiah 65:17–25

Placemat Section: A feast table with lots of foods.
Message: God promises joy, peace, and enough for everyone. In God’s new world, nobody is hungry or sad.
Activity: Color the feast table. Draw extra food you’d want at God’s joyful meal. Write: “God makes all things new.”

Family Discussion:

If you could imagine the happiest place in the world, what would it look like?
What do you think it means that in God’s new world, there will be no crying or hurting? How does that make you feel?
What makes you feel joyful? How can we bring joy to others as a family?

Family Activities:

Sad Face/Smiley Face Game – Draw or hold up sad and smiley faces. Each person shares something that makes them sad, then flips it to something that brings them joy. End by saying together: “God makes all things new!”
Animal Peace Parade – Using stuffed animals or drawings (wolf, lamb, lion, cow), make a “peace parade.” March them across the table while saying, “No more fighting—only peace!”
Placemat Time – As kids color their placemat, invite them to draw something that brings them joy in God’s new world (like a rainbow, a smiling friend, or a party hat).