Lesson Review

Fill in the right answers from last week’s lesson.

Last week we learnt that for three and half years there ________________ in Israel. Then Elijah sang, danced or __________________ to God for rain. When he prayed, he had doubted or ________________and so,He kept sending his brother , or sister or _______________ went and check for clouds by the sea. 2 or 3 or __________, when the servant went down to the sea from the mountain where Elijah was praying,
There was rain coming, the sun was coming up or ________________ but on the 4, or 5 or________________ time, the servant reported,
“I have seen a big blue or ________ cloud not bigger than a man’s hand, coming up from the sea.” Elijah believed that God had heard his working or his sleeping or his_______________ and had answered him. Elijah believed that God would send flowers, money or ______________.
From this Bible story, we learnt that we should believe God when we run or speak or ______________. God can and will answer your prayers.

Sing: (Using the tune Ding Dong Dong.)
Pray to God(X2)
And believe (x2)
That God answers prayers.
All the time (x2)

Introduction

What have you been praying and asking God for? [Allow the children to respond] Have you been praying for a toy, a bicycle, for God to heal you or someone who is sick? How long have you been asking God for it? [Allow children to respond]
Let us pray. Say after me:
Thank you, God.
For this new day.
Help me to hear
Believe and trust in you.
Holy Spirit help me.
In Jesus name Amen

Bible Story

• Good morning. It’s good to see and be with you all today. I am so glad that most of you remembered the story of Elijah. Today I have another Bible story for you. A long time ago, a lady prayed and asked God for something. This woman was married to a man who had two wives. One of these wives had children. The other wife had no children.

• The woman who had no children wanted God to help her get children. BUT the woman who had children made fun of the woman who had no children. When they went to the Temple (which is the Church today) in Shiloh, every year as a family to pray and offer prayers to God, the woman without children would pray and ask God to bless her with a child. The woman who had children was not kind to the one without children. How sad! You and I should learn to be kind to others.

• The woman without children would be teased (made jokes or laughed at) and she would cry. She would get so sad that she refused to eat anything. BUT the woman without children never stopped praying and asking God to bless her with a baby. Though it was hard, and the pain was deep, she continued to pray.

• Let us sing our song for today again.
  Sing: Using the tune Ding Dong Dong.
  Pray to God(X2)
  And believe (x2)
  That God answers prayers.
  All the time (x2)

• One time when they had gone to the temple, the woman without children was so unhappy and after eating her food, she went back to the temple. She cried as she prayed to God. She begged God for a son and She promised God that she would give the child back to God to serve Him. She prayed silently, moving her lips but making no sound for a long time. When you and I pray at times we can pray with no sound like this (show the children how this is done).

• Then Eli, the priest (Pastor) thought she was drunk. The woman without children told Eli that she was praying because she was so sad. Eli then sent the woman away and told her to go and have peace and wished that God would give her what she had been asking for. When she left the temple after praying for so long, she was not sad anymore. She ate and went home.

• Guess what, boys and girls, God did give the woman what she had been asking for. She got a son whom she called, Samuel, which means, “I asked the Lord for him.”

• Boys and girls, just like this woman, sometimes you and I also go through painful and difficult things and times. COVID-19 (the coronavirus) has been hard for the whole world but we have been praying and God has been so good to the world and has answered the prayers that have gone to Him. Let us continue to thank God. Just like this woman prayed to God through her pain, you and I should also pray to God even when you are going through painful, difficult things. Know that God sees your pain and loves you. Jesus loves you and hears your prayers and mine, and answers prayers at His time with love.

• God gave the woman without a child peace and took her pain away by giving her the son she had prayed for over many years. Just like her, God will take care of you. He hears you, He understands your pain and will answer you and take care of you. Never give up! Just keep praying.

• Hey, boys and girls do you know the name of this woman who had no children? HANNAH has anyone of you heard of someone called HANNAH? [Hold the picture up and let the children point to show you who is: Priest Eli, Hannah and Samuel the boy in the picture]
  Sing: Using the tune Ding Dong Dong.
  Pray to God(X2)
  And believe (x2)
  That God answers prayers
  All the time (x2)

  Instructions: Let the children repeat the verse by standing, walking around, and jumping 7 times as they sing the above song.