Here is my lesson plan for teaching verse 2 of "Tell Me, Dear Lord":

 

I taped a picture of the Greg K. Olsen painting "Be Not Afraid" onto the board.  It depicts Jesus helping two children across a river.  If you can't find it elsewhere, it's on the cover of the 2007 CSMP outline.  I covered it with a large white sheet of paper that I had cut into puzzle pieces and taped on individually.  As I sang the verse through several times, I had one child at a time come up and remove a puzzle piece until the entire picture was revealed.  Then I asked the following questions:

 

Ask:  What is Jesus doing in this picture?  (Helping two children, guiding one by the hand and holding the other, etc.)

 

Sing "I would be guided by thy loving hand" and have the children echo it back.

 

Ask:  What do you imagine Jesus might be saying to these children? (Hold tightly to my hand/shoulder, don't let go, don't look down, etc.)

 

Ask:  Do you think these children followed the directions Jesus gave them?  (Of course!  They wanted to be safe)

 

Sing "Would hear thy voice, obey thy blest command" and have the children echo it back

 

Ask:  How close is Jesus to these children?  (Very near, holding one close and holding the hand of the other)

 

Sing "Each moment just to know that thou art near" and have the children echo it back

 

Ask:  How do you think the children in the painting feel with Jesus near them?  (Happy, safe, not scared, strong, etc.)

 

Prayer helps us to feel Jesus near us, just like He is near these children.  When we feel Him near we feel strong and safe.

 

Sing "Will strength impart and banish ev'ry fear" and have the children echo back

 

Sing entire song while displaying painting.

 

This worked great with both my Jr. and Sr. kids.  They were very engaged the whole time.  With the Jrs. I covered the picture up with a whole sheet of paper before each question so they had to think back and remember what it looked like.  Then I uncovered it again when we would sing.