This Sunday school lesson will help the children understand that God really does hear our prayers, even when we don't know the right words to say.
TOPICS
Hannah, Prayer
AS KIDS ARRIVE (10 minutes)
Praying Hands (Connect-the-Dots Coloring Activity) Click here
WORSHIP TIME (5 minutes)
Further info? Click here
BIBLE VERSE (5 minutes)
"You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." John 14:14 NIV
This verse will give children the assurance that God hears our prayers and answers them when they are in accordance with His Will.
BIBLE STORY (15 minutes)
Gather the children around you in preparation for story time. After the introduction, read the story about Hannah praying to God right from the Bible. If possible, use a Children's Bible so it will be easier for the kids to understand.
Introduction:
Our story today takes place a long time ago, even before Jesus was born. It is about a woman named Hannah. She was one of two wives to a man named Elkanah. Hannah was very sad, because she was getting old, and still did not have any children. The other wife, named Peninnah, had both sons and daughters. To make matters even worse, whenever Hannah would go to the temple to worship God, Peninnah would tease her about having no children. It even made Hannah cry. Then one day, she decided to pray.
Read 1 Samuel 1:10-17, 20 (Hannah Prays to God)
Discussion Questions:
1. Why was Hannah so sad? (Because she did not have any children.)
2. How did Hannah ask for God's help? (She prayed.)
3. What did Hannah pray for? (A son.)
4. Do you think Hannah was happy that she prayed to God? (Yes, because God gave her a son.)
5. Can you share a time that God answered a prayer for you? (Allow for answers.)
FUN TIME (10 minutes)
Guess What You Hear (Activity) Click here
ALTERNATE FUN TIME (7 minutes)
God Can Hear Me (Object Talk) Click here
PRAYER/SNACK (10 minutes)
Further info? Click here
For today's snack, bring Rice Krispy treats. Start by praying to God and thanking Him for hearing our prayers. As the children eat their snacks, ask them what other foods or snacks make noise when you eat them (apples, potato chips, raw carrots, etc.). What foods make hardly any noise (Jell-O, pudding, cheese, etc.)? To some adults, young children's voices may seem tiny and childish, like the silly sounds made by some foods, but to God the words spoken by children, especially in prayer are very important. God hears and answers those prayers the same as He does for older people.
CLOSING ACTIVITY (5-10 minutes)
Telephone (Game)
Have the children sit in a circle, or around the table. Start with one child and whisper one of the phrases shown below into his or her ear. Have that child whisper the same phrase into the ear of the child to his or her left, and continue around the circle until the last child is told the phrase. Then have the last child say what he or she heard out loud to see how close it was to the original phrase. As children leave, simply make the circle smaller.
Phrases:
God will always hear our prayers.
It makes Jesus very happy when we pray.
If we ask anything in Jesus' name, He will do it.
We can pray anytime, morning, noon, or night.
Compare this game to how when we pray, God hears exactly what we mean to say, even when we don't say it exactly the way we want.
NEXT WEEK
Come back next week to learn ways that we can worship God.
TAKE HOME PAGE
Give one copy to each child at the end of the class to take home [PDF]. Click here