Unit 8: Samuel and King Saul OT8.1 Hannah Prays Lesson › wzukusers › user... · 1 OT8.1 Hannah Prays ©Beverly Wilson 2018 Unit 8: Samuel and King Saul OT8.1 Hannah Prays Lesson

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OT8.1 Hannah Prays ©Beverly Wilson 2018

Unit 8: Samuel and King Saul OT8.1 Hannah Prays Lesson

Scripture: I Samuel 1-2

Lesson Goal: Hannah was a sad, hurting woman who prayed to God for help. She is an

example of how we can talk to God. God always hears and answers our prayers.

Introduction: The story of Hannah is found in 1 Samuel which is the ninth book in the Old Testament. 1 Samuel is in the second group of books in the Old Testament called the historical books. These books begin with Joshua and go through Esther. Let's say these books--Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther.

Attention Getter: “Answers to Prayer”

Does God answer prayer? Yes He promises to hear us! Does He always give us what we ask of Him? God has three answers to every prayer we pray: “Yes,” Wait or Not Yet! or “No, I have a better idea!" God doesn’t always give us what we ask for, but He always gives us what we need. God loves us and wants the very best for us. Sometimes that means He doesn’t give us what we ask for. In this lesson we will see how God answered the prayer of Hannah. .

Opening Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, thank you for this lesson about Hannah. She was sad because she did not have any children but You heard her prayers and sent Eli to talk with her. Thank you that you have a plan and purpose for our lives and you always want the very best for us. You have promised to always hear and answer our prayers. We love you and want to follow you. Thank You for helping us and comforting us when we are sad. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Memory Verse: The memory verse is Psalm 86:17 “You O Lord have helped me and comforted me!” Because God loves you, He promises to hear our prayers and give you what’s really best for us. He will give us help in time of need. Let’s say our verse again together. Psalm 86:17 “You O Lord have helped me and comforted me!”

Lesson Video: https://youtu.be/PPdgoleqkN0 For over 200 years Israel had been ruled by the judges. During the time of the judges Israel was very disobedient to God and started worshipping idols. The land was full of violence.

The Old Testament Book of 1 Samuel begins in the days when the judges still ruled Israel, possibly during the closing years of Samson's life. Samuel was the last of the judges and he was Israel's greatest judge. The book of I Samuel begins with the story of Samuel's mother and father before Samuel was born.

There was a man called Elkanah who lived in the hill country of Ephraim in Israel. He had two wives named Hannah and the other was Peninnah. Peninnah had children but Hannah did not. In those days some people thought that a woman who did not have children was a failure and was being punished by God. Children are a gift from God and being childless was a shameful thing to Hannah so she was very sad. Elkanah loved Hannah very much and he tried to comfort Hannah. He said, “Don’t cry! Aren’t I better than ten sons?” But that did not help. Hannah just cried and cried.

His other wife Peninnah however made Hannah feel even worse. She constantly made fun of Hannah. She said, “Look at you Hannah!” God had not give you even ONE little child. I have MANY children! God must love me more than you!”

https://youtu.be/PPdgoleqkN0

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Every year the family traveled from their home in Ramah to the mountains at Shiloh where they to worshipped in the tabernacle. The tabernacle was the place where people came for special times to worship God and celebrate. An old man named Eli was the High Priest at the Tabernacle but his two sons who were priests there were both very disobedient.

Whenever Elkanah went to the tabernacle to make an offering he would give portions for Peninnah and for all her sons and daughters. But for Hannah he would give a double offering, because he loved Hannah very much. This made Peninnah very jealous. This went on year after year.

One year on the way to the tabernacle Peninnah began to provoke Hannah and was being especially mean. Peninnah's teasing made Hannah so sad that she could not stop crying. She was so upset that she could not eat! This was a time of celebration and Hannah should have been happy but instead she was very sad!

As Elkanah was in Shiloh making his sacrifices, Hannah felt so sad that she left the table where everyone was eating the sacrificial meal and walked to the tabernacle. When Hannah reached the temple she was in such anguish that she began to pray. Eli was at his customary place beside the entrance to the Tabernacle.

As she stood there, praying and crying, she made a promise to God. “Oh Lord if you will give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.”

Eli saw Hannah’s lips moving but didn’t hear any sound. He thought she had been drinking! “Must you come in here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!” Eli did not know she was praying!

Hannah felt very surprised. She saw that Eli didn’t understand what she was doing! She said, “Oh, sir, I haven’t been drinking wine! I was pouring out my heart to the Lord in great anguish and sorry.” Hannah explained to Eli about her desire for a son.

So Eli blessed her and said, “Well then, go in peace. May God give you what you asked for!” Eli’s words comforted Hannah. Hannah’s attitude changed. She was able to be cheerful and go back to join in the Passover celebration. Hannah trusted God and had hope.

Soon after returning home, Hannah became pregnant and later gave birth to a baby boy. God had answered her prayer! She and Elkanah named the baby boy Samuel. The name sounded like the Hebrew word for “God heard.” Hannah said, “I named him Samuel because I asked the Lord and he heard my prayer.”

When Samuel was about 2 or 3 years old, Hannah kept her promise to God and came back to the tabernacle to give her boy to God. “I asked the Lord to give me this boy,” she declared. “God has answered my prayer and has given me this child. Now I am giving him back to the Lord. He will belong to Him his whole life.”

The Bible says that Elkanah and Hannah offered a sacrifice of a bull and some flour and wine. Then Hannah prayed a great prayer of praise to God for answering her prayer and giving her a son. In her prayer she said, “My heart rejoices in the Lord! There is no one holy like the Lord, there is no one besides you, there is no Rock like our God.” Hannah thanked God for knowing all that we do and being the Sovereign ruler and judge over all of mankind.

Samuel stayed at the tabernacle learning to love, obey, and serve God. He wore a white linen garment while serving with Eli the Priest. Hannah never ever forgot about her son Samuel. She loved him very much. Every year she would make him a new little robe and take it to him when she went up with her husband to worship. Little Samuel grew up in the tabernacle and God used him in an important way to lead the people of Israel for many years.

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Later God blessed Hannah and Elkanah with other children. Hannah had three more sons and two daughters. Hannah's heart rejoiced, but she never stopped thinking about her son Samuel and praying for him.

In this lesson Hannah brought her problem honestly before the Lord. She did just what God wants you to do. She prayed to Him.

Isn’t it wonderful to know that you and I can talk to God about anything and everything? He is always listening. And, He cares about everything that concerns you. God wants His children to come to Him in prayer when they are sad. He wants you to talk to Him about the things that make you unhappy. When you feel angry because your friends treat you unkindly, talk to the Lord about it. If your friend is not a Christian, tell God. If someone you know is sick, pray for that person. God wants you to tell Him your problems. Hannah did that. And, as Hannah discovered, prayer opens the way for God to work.

Eli reminded Hannah that as she brought her requests to God in faith, she could have peace knowing that God would answer in the way that was best for her. Eli’s kind words comforted Hannah. It changed her attitude. Now she was cheerful and was able to go back and join in the celebration. Hannah had hope.

As you trust God, He will give you peace too, (Philippians 4:6-7). God loves you and you can talk to Him about any problem you have, too. He hears your prayers and you can rely upon Him to answer them. He knows what is best for us!

God won’t always give you what you ask for because He knows that some things are not good for you. Sometimes He will make you wait for awhile before He grants your request. But, if you believe God wants you to have something, keep on praying faithfully for it.

Remember God hears and answers our prayers!

Review Questions: “Nine Squares” Preparation: You will need a beanbag, 3 sheets of 3 colors of construction paper. Procedure: Divide the class into two teams. Lay out 9 squares of paper: 3 each of 3 different colors like a tic tac toe game. Assign point vales to each color. For example: red=10, blue=30, and yellow- 50. Teams will alternate in tossing the beanbag onto a sheet of paper. If they answer a question right, they earn that number of points.

1. Who was the last and greatest judge in Israel? (Samuel was the last and greatest judge.)

2. Hannah was barren. What does that mean? (She couldn’t have any children.) 3. Why was Hannah ashamed because she wasn’t able to have children? (In those days a

barren woman was considered a failure in life, and someone who was being punished by God.)

4. What did Peninnah do to Hannah? (She teased her and hurt her feelings.) 5. When Elkanah went to worship at the tabernacle what did he give for Hannah because he

loved her? (He gave a double portion in offering and worship.) 6. What did Elkanah say to Hannah in an effort to make her feel better and not cry? (He said to

her, ““Don’t cry! Aren’t I better than ten sons?”) 7. One time when the family was up at Shiloh for a celebration, what did Hannah do because

she felt so terrible about being barren? (She went to the temple to pray.) 8. What are some things that you can talk to God about in prayer? (When you feel angry

because your friends treat you badly or unkindly; if your friend is not a Christian; if someone is sick; …)

9. What are the three ways that God answers prayer? (Yes, Not now, I have a better idea.)

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10. Why doesn’t God always give you what you ask for? (It may not be good for your.) 11. What changed Hannah’s attitude? Why did she finally have peace? (She knew that God had

heard her prayers.) 12. What did Hannah promise to God if He would give her a baby? (She had told God if He would

give her a son that she would “give him to the Lord all the days of his life.”) 13. What sign did Samuel have that showed he was dedicated to the Lord? (His hair was never

cut.) 14. When did Hannah keep her promise to God? (When Samuel was about three years old

Hannah gave him to Eli, the priest to be his helper in the temple.) 15. What did Hannah do to show her dedication and thankfulness to God when she took Samuel

to live with Eli at the tabernacle? (Hannah offered a prayer of thanksgiving recognizing God’s sovereignty, his power to direct the affairs of man, and for being a rock of salvation.)

16. How did Hannah continue to remember her son? (Every year when the family came to celebrate and worship at the Tabernacle, she would make and bring a new robe for Samuel to wear.)

17. How did God bless Hannah and Elkanah for their willingness to give their son Samuel to the service of God? (God gave Hannah five more children—three sons and two daughters.)

18. What is the memory verse? (Psalm 86:17 “You O Lord have helped me and comforted me!”)

Bible Memory Verse Activity: “Megaphones”

Say: Our memory verse is Psalm 86:17 “You O Lord have helped me and comforted me!” Because Have students locate the verse in scripture. Read the verse several times together.

Say: “This verse means that God loves you. He promises to hear our prayers and give us what’s really best for us. He will give us help in time of need.”

Preparation: Make pretend or homemade megaphones by rolling a large sheet of poster board on the diagonal. Staple or tape the edges of the poster board to hold the megaphone shape. Optional: Print the megaphone template below one copy for each student in class.

Procedure: To help children memorize the verse, read it aloud from the board, then read it with the children as you point to the words. As a couple of children to be your assistants as you use the megaphones to lead the rest of the class in practicing the verse in phrases like cheerleaders leading a cheer. Use rhythmic motions to accompany the words of each phrase as you shout them out, waiting for the children to imitate you before shouting the next phrase. After several repetitions have everyone jump and cheer for their efforts.

Group Learning Activity: “Times I Am Sad” Concentration (Grades K-4) Preparation: Print two copies of the Times I Am Sad cards on cardstock paper for each pair of students in your class. Cut the cards apart on the solid lines. Procedure: Divide the class into pairs. Give a set of “Times I Am Sad” concentration cards to each set of students. Children are to play a game like concentration. Concentration is a card game where all of the cards are shuffled and are laid face down on a surface in orderly rows and columns. All of the cards must have a mate (pairs). Each turn, two cards are flipped over. If the cards do not match, they are both turned back face down. If the cards match, they are left face up and the person who made the match receives a point. For this activity you will play with two people. After several minutes of play have a child show a matching card set and ask the following discussion questions about the situation pictured: What is happening in the picture? When has something like this happened to someone you know? What could the student in this situation tell God about how he or she is feeling? How might God help and comfort this person?

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Read the memory verse Psalm 86:17 “You O Lord have helped me and comforted me!” What are some ways that God comforts us? (He listens to our prayers. He provides people to care for us when we are sick. He gives us friends to play with.) Conclude with a brief prayer, thanking God for His help and comfort.

Group Learning Activity: Bible Study:” (Grades 3-5) Purpose: To understand that God wants us to pray to Him in every situation. Preparation: You will need Bibles, pencils, and spiritual journals. Procedure: Look up the following scriptures to learn about praying to God.

Psalm 55:1-2 “Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught.” King David wrote this psalm and he was not afraid to come to God and express his true feelings and needs. God knows what we need but He wants us to ask Him to meet our needs. We can talk to God when we are troubled or facing difficult situations.

Psalms 4:3 “Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.” God promises to hear the prayers of his children. This promise is a great comfort and encouragement for us to always pray about everything all the time. Use this verse to complete the following statements: (Let students answer with the phrase “the Lords hears when I call to him.”

“I can pray when I am alone and ….” I can pray when I am sad and …” I can pray when I am happy and ….” I can pray when things don’t go the way I planned and ….” I can pray anytime, anywhere and….”

Psalm 77:1 “I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me.” God hears us anywhere we go. Have students name some different places they may pray. Emphasize the importance and what kind of prayer you might say in each of the following places: birthday party, church service, doctor’s office, fishing at the lake, sitting on the sofa with family, on a picnic in the park, at the playground in the park, at the swimming pool, at the movie theatre, or at the zoo.

Romans 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” When we believed in Jesus God gave us the gift of His spirit—the Holy Spirit. What work does the Holy Spirit do in helping us to pray? He “intercedes” to talks to God for us. He guides us in how and what to pray for. He helps us know what is God’s best for us.

Ephesians 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” God desires that we pray for one another. This is called intercessory prayer. Paul requested that the church pray for him and that he would be given many opportunities to share the gospel.

Matthew 21:22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Our prayers are to be done in faith. We trust God to hear and answer our prayers in His good divine will. We believe that God has the power to accomplish all we can ask or think according to His will.

Students are to record what they have learned and the principles for prayer in their spiritual journals.

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Group Learning Activity: “Need It or Don’t Need It” (Grades 2-5) Preparation: You will need a magnetic boards and sets of magnetic plastic letters for two teams. Place the letters in two boxes—one for each team. You will also need to print two sets of index cards with the following words on the cards: food, rest, home, air, water, clothes, videos, computers, candy, cell phone, games, and toys. One set for each team. Say: “In our lesson today Hannah prayed to God to give her a child. She promised to give the child back to God for him to serve in the tabernacle. God has promised to supply our needs. What are our needs? What are things that we want but could live without? We are going to play a game with words. These words are examples of things that we may want or need. ” Procedure: Form two or more teams. Guide the teams to line up behind the starting lines. Call attention to the letter boxes and give one box to the first person in each team. Say: “I will show a mystery word (words on index cards) to the last person at the back of the line. The word will be either a want or need. At the signal to begin the first person in each line will select a letter from the letter box. He will call out the letter and the person at the back of the line will shout “Need it” or “Don’t need It” if the letter is in the word. If the letter is in the word then the last person places it on the magnetic board. The letter box is then passed to the second person in the line and they select a letter and call it out. The last person in line again says if the letter is needed to make the word. Continue passing the letter box and selecting the letters until the team spells the word. The winning team is the one to spell the most words correctly. Play until all words have been spelled. Say: “Let’s look at each of the words we have spelled. Is the item a want or need?” Discuss the need for the item. How did we know if an item was a want or need? (People need it to survive.) God promises to supply our needs but often He is gracious and grants us our wants. We should be grateful to God for giving us our needs and especially for mercifully giving us our desires as well.”

Group Learning Activity: “Hannah’s Prayer Diorama” (Grades K-5) Preparation: You will need clean dry water bottles for the character bodies, styrofoam balls for heads of the figures, fabric scraps, cotton balls, glue, scissors, construction paper, large box; and other craft items to create the diorama. Procedure: Form two groups in the class. One group will work on the diorama box for the background stage. The other group will work on creating the water bottle figures. Have students locate and read 1 Samuel 1:1-28. Focus attention on vs. 10-11 which are Hannah’s prayer and promise to God. Say: “Let’s create a diorama of the Bible story. A diorama is a small model of a scene with lifelike details.” Guide the children to select the part of the Bible story to create. Group could choose the tabernacle scene with Eli the priest and Hannah along with her husband Elkanah bringing the small child Samuel to serve God. Or the scene could be Hannah praying in the tabernacle with Eli the priest. Assign each group various parts of the diorama to create such as Hannah, Eli, Elkanah, young Samuel, baby Samuel, props, or the background. Have students use the craft supplies to create the diorama. Have students use the fabric to make the curtain of the temple along the wall or side of the box. Have students use construction paper rolls to make the columns of the temple. Use cotton balls along the sides or roof of the tabernacle to represent the presence of God. For the second group of children talk about the characters that are needed for the scene of the diorama. Place the craft items on the table and recap the Bible story where these characters will be portrayed. Say: “Let’s use these items to create people figures to act out the Bible story. Guide the children to attach the Styrofoam balls to the soda or water bottles. Invite the children to attach fabric to create

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clothes for the people. Suggest the children create faces showing the expressions of the people in the Bible story. Invite the children to use the people as props to dramatize the story and then place them in the diorama background that the other group made. Display the diorama in the classroom or other prominent place in the church for others to view. Encourage children to use the diorama to retell the Bible story to parents, friends, and siblings.

Group Learning Activity: “Coach Needed” Game (Grades 3-5) Preparation: You will need masking tape, 2 empty soft drink liter bottles, and 2 index cards. With the masking tape mark a starting line on one side of the playing area and make two large X’s on the opposite side of the playing area. Procedure: Divide the students into two teams, and choose one child from each team to be the “coach.” Take the “coaches” aside and tell them how to play the game but instruct them not to tell the others. (It may help if you have the instructions written out on an index card for each “coach.” Instructions to write on index cards: “To run the relay the children will take turns running to one of their team’s two x marks and balancing the soft drink bottle upside down in the center of the X. They will then walk like a crab back to their team and tag the next team member. The second team member will run to the soft drink bottle, pick it up, and move it and balance it on the second X, then return with the crab walk.” When you return to the rest of the group, say: “We are going to play a relay race. This race will help us learn the importance that coaches play in telling us how to play the game. When I say “go”, you will start. You may ask your coach for help on how to play but you’re only allowed to ask “yes” or “no” questions.” Give the coaches the empty soft drink bottles and say “go.” After a few rounds, call the children together. Say: “Was it important to have a good coach in this game? What did the team have to constantly do? (Stay in contact by constantly asking questions about what to do next.) Who was the only person who understood completely from the beginning how to play the game? (Only the coach understood the big plan.)” Say: “This game teaches us some important things about our prayers to God. We are like the team who is trying to follow the coach’s (God’s) direction. We do not know the total outcome or direction of our life. We need to be in constant contact (prayer with God) to find out what is the best way to succeed or win! Winning means that we following the direction of God for our life. God loves us and knows what is best for us. He only wants what is good for us and will help us succeed in the game of life. We need to pray constantly for His help and direction.”

Group Learning Activity: “Telephone Game” (Grades K-3) Preparation: You will not need any supplies. Procedure: 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.

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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.

Craft Learning Activity: “Praying Hannah Fold-Out Figure” (Grades K-3) Preparation: Print the two pages of Praying Hannah Fold-Out Figure below on separate sheets of paper. You will need a set of two pages for each student. Students will need crayons, colored markers, or colored pencils, glue and scissors. Procedure: Distribute the set of printed sheets to each child of Hannah with baby Samuel and the folding hands coat. Have students color Hannah, baby Samuel and the coat using crayons or colored markers. Have students cut the figures along the outside lines of the coat and Hannah figure. Glue the Hannah with baby Samuel figure inside the center of the back of the folding hands coat. Fold hands of the coat to cover baby Samuel.

Say: “What did Hannah ask God to give her? (A baby) What would you do if you were Hannah? (I would ask God too.) Would you describe Hannah’s desire as a want or need? (She could have lived without a child but she wanted one very badly.) How did Hannah deal with her desire? (She ask God to give her a child and she promised to give the child back to serve God.) In what ways do you express your desires to God? Do you ask with an intense desire or do you just say the words? How grateful was Hannah for God’s answer to her prayer? (She was so grateful she prayed a prayer of thankfulness to God and she was willing to keep her promise to give Samuel back to God.) How often do you think that Hannah remembered her prayer? (All of her life she recalled her promise to God.) Do you really believe God will answer your prayers? Why? How can God answering your prayers be a help to other people who are praying for a request from God? (Telling others about God’s answers to prayers encourages others to pray and trust Him too.)

Craft Learning Activity: “From Your Mouth to God’s Ear” (Grades K-3) Preparation: You will need to print the “God’s Ear” template below on poster board or cardstock for each child. Students will each need a crayons or colored markers, hole-puncher, 36” length of yarn or string, a paper clip and an index card with Prayer requests. Procedure: Distribute the copies of “God’s Ear” for each child. Have students color the ear shape and cut it out along the outside solid lines. Demonstrate to students how to punch the hold in the ear and thread a 36” piece of string or yarn through the hole. Tie a paper clip on the end in front and knot the end that is in back. Ask for some prayer requests from the students and write them down for younger children. Hold up the ear with the string extended long in the front and have students stick the index card with the prayer requests on the paper clip. Remind the children that God always hears and He always answers their prayers. God’s answers to prayer are yes, not now, and I have a better idea. After the requests are on the paper clip pull them up to the ear to show that God hears our prayers. Say: “God promises to hear our prayers and answer them according to His perfect will. Nothing escapes His attention and we can be thankful for that! In our lesson Hannah had a heavy burden and she told God about it. We can learn to carry every burden and care to Him.” Lead children in a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord for all His answered prayers in their lives. Encourage the children to “pray without ceasing.”

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Craft Learning Activity: “Samuel’s Birth Announcements” (Grades 2-4) Preparation: Print the template of Samuel’s birth announcements. Copy and cut apart one birth announcement for each child to color. You will need crayons, scissors, gold or black construction paper cut slightly larger than the birth announcement. Procedure: Distribute the birth announcement to each child. Instruct the children to color their birth announcement. After coloring the announcement take a sheet of gold or black construction paper and cut slightly larger than the birth announcement. Have students glue the announcement to the construction paper to give the appearance of a frame. Say: “Hannah asked the Lord to give her a child. She promised that if He gave her a child that she would give the child back to the Lord to serve his whole life in the tabernacle. The Lord answered Hannah’s prayer. Then Hannah was faithful and kept her promise to the Lord. The Lord honored that promise and made Samuel to become a great man of God.”

Craft Learning Activity: “Praying Hands Prayer Journal” (Grades K-5) Preparation: You will need Bibles, construction paper, pencils and colored markers, and scissors. Procedure: Have students following these directions:

1. Fold construction paper in half widthwise. 2. Place hand on page with pinky finger next to folded edge. 3. Trace around hand, keeping fingers together. 4. Cut out hands without cutting through the folded edge. 5. Open paper hands to make a prayer journal. 6. List prayer requests in the prayer journal or draw pictures

of situations in which you might ask for God’s help. Or optionally write the Memory verse in the prayer journal.

7. Present the prayer journal to the Lord and see how He answers prayer.

Say: “When is a time you were sad and someone helped and comforted you? What did she or he do? What did God do to comfort and help Hannah? (God sent Eli to listen to her problem. God also heard and answered Hannah’s prayer.) Our memory verse is Psalm 86:17 “You O Lord have helped me and comforted me!” Who does this verse say will comfort us? (God) God isn’t a person we can see. But He helps us remember His love by giving us people who can help us and comfort us when we’re sad.” Say: “How can you use your prayer journal this week to remind you to talk to God? (Write down what they have prayed about or how God answered their prayers. Write down a prayer poem, etc.)”

Craft Learning Activity: “Praying Hands Silhouettes” (Grades 2-5) Preparation: You will need a printed copy of the Praying Hands Silhouette below for each child. Students will need scissors and a piece of black construction paper. Procedure: Distribute the copy of the praying hands silhouette. Have students cut out the center or middle of the hands without cutting the edge of the paper. Basically you are cutting a hole in the middle of the page and then trimming out to the outside line of the image. The praying hands image is going to be discarded. You will be left with a piece of white paper that has a praying hands hole in the center of the paper. Trim the white paper to the size of square you want. Mount the white paper with the praying hands hole to a piece of black construction paper. See the diagram.

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Life Application Activity: “How to Pray” (Grades K-5) Say: “In this lesson we learned that Hannah talked to God and had a close relationship with Him. God desires that we really know him and talk to him, too. When we pray there are four activities that should be included: (Explain each of the following) (1) Praise—We should praise God for His great love for us and for His holiness and power. (2) Ask—When we don’t know what to say to God, we can tell Him just that, and ask His help in

knowing how to pray. God understands. We can ask Him to provide for our needs and to help others.

(3) Confess—We should tell God that we are sorry for not talking to Him and praying. We should ask for His forgiveness for ignoring Him or choosing to do something else rather than praying.

(4) Thank—We should thank God for His ability to hear us anytime and anywhere especially when we think about how many other people may be praying at the same time! We should thank Him for our families and home and for the Word of God.

Close this discussion by modeling a prayer that includes praise, asking, confession, and thankfulness. Remember that no child should be forced to pray but do encourage and invite each one to join you. Challenge: Every day this week talk to God. You can pray by yourself and then with your parents, brothers and sisters, friends, or others. Talk to God in your bedroom, in the kitchen, living room, and in the car. Remember that God is with you everywhere and always wants you to talk to Him.

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Hannah Prays

Psalm 86:17 “You O Lord have helped me and comforted me!”

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Megaphone Craft

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Praying Hannah Fold Out Figure

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Documents

Unit 8: Samuel and King Saul OT8.1 Hannah Prays Lesson › wzukusers › user... · 1 OT8.1 Hannah Prays ©Beverly Wilson 2018 Unit 8: Samuel and King Saul OT8.1 Hannah Prays Lesson