YEA Lesson Library
Quiet Prayer
About This Lesson
Using the story of Hannah asking for a baby, this lesson teaches that God answers prayers.
Scriptures
1 Samuel 1:1-20
Psalm 6:9
Psalm 37:4
Psalm 61:1
Psalm 145:18
Proverbs 15:29
Matthew 21:22
Romans 8:24-27
Philippians 4:6
James 5:16
Words to Know
ACCEPTS - receives, listens to
DRUNK - having had too much alcohol
The Lesson
Hannah and her husband loved God. They went to God’s house. They gave offerings to God. And they prayed to God. But Hannah wasn’t happy.
All the married women Hannah knew had children. They talked to their babies. They listened to them giggle. They played with them. But, Hannah didn’t have a baby to cuddle in her arms. This made Hannah very sad.
Peninnah made fun of Hannah for not having any children. She teased her and made Hannah cry. Hannah was so sad that she wouldn’t even eat.
Hannah was in God’s house praying. She prayed a Quiet Prayer. Hannah’s lips were moving. She cried so hard that her eyes and nose were probably red. She prayed, “God, you see how sad I am. Please, please give me a baby of my own. If you give me a son, I promise to give him back to you.”
Eli the priest watched Hannah. Her lips moved, but he didn’t hear her Quiet Prayer. But God heard her prayer. Eli thought Hannah was drunk. He told her to get rid of her wine.
Hannah told Eli why she was so sad. Eli said, “God will surely give you what you ask for.” After that, Hannah went away happy. Why was Hannah so happy? Because God was going to answer her prayer!
God cares about you. He cares when you are sad or hurting. He wants to give you good things. And when you talk to God in prayer, He hears and
answers your prayers.
Daily Devotions
Sunday - Psalm 61:1
Monday - Psalm 37:4
Tuesday - Psalm 145:18
Wednesday - Proverbs 15:29
Thursday - Matthew 21:22
Friday - Philippians 4:6
Saturday - James 5:16
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, the children will be able to:
1. Tell why Hannah was sad.
2. Explain why Eli the priest thought she had been drinking.
3. State that God cares when we are hurting. He hears and answers our prayers.
Topics & Themes
Ask
Eli
Hannah
Prayer
Prayers, answered
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA Students’ and Teacher’s books, attendance and memory verse charts, songbook, stickers, music player and CD or tape, construction paper, crayons
Preparation
“From prayer experiences the child sees that prayer is talking to God. He can learn to thank God and to ask God for help. He could also learn to tell God he loves Him, or to tell God that He is good. Whatever a child can say to a parent, he can say to God; he tends to think of God in parental terms” (Teaching Preschoolers by Ruth Beechick).
In this book the children will be introduced to a small puppet (mouse). He will help teach the lessons, ask Review Questions, and help keep the attention of the children. It is recommended that you purchase or make the hand puppets to be used throughout this book. Inexpensive puppets can often be found at Dollar Stores, educational stores, or toy stores. Paper bag puppets or sock puppets can also be made.
To teach or review the memory verse, do the following hand motions. You may want to look up the ASL actions here; they do great videos (https://www.signasl.org). If you’re going to teach signs, they might as well be accurate, universal, and therefore, useful long-term: “The Lord (“L” hand moves from left shoulder to waist - where a sash would be) accepts (hands closed thumb to fingers - as if holding something - and both hands brought to chest) my prayers (fold hands as in prayer).”
Before you come to class, copy the prayer book pattern in the center of this book onto white construction paper (One for each child in class). Fold the paper in half to form a booklet.
Keep in mind that we must not tell these children that God always answers their prayers the way they want. They are black and white thinkers. We are doing them a great disservice to tell them that God will always answers their prayers (the way they want) or that He’ll always protect them. There’s a balance between affirming their faith in our Great God and not setting up a situation that could shipwreck their faith because they were taught an erroneous view.
Review Questions
(Introduce Tiny the mouse puppet. Have him ask the questions.)
1. Why was Hannah so sad that she wouldn’t eat?
2. What did Hannah want more than anything else?
3. What was Hannah doing in God’s house?
4. Why did Eli think she had been drinking?
5. What did Eli tell Hannah when he heard about her prayer?
6. What can you talk to God about?
Teacher-Directed Activity
Give each child a Prayer Booklet and let them color the pictures inside. Repeat the memory verse while pointing to each picture.
REACH Activity
Letter: Q
Words: quite, quit, quiet
Sentence: HANNAH WAS NOT READY TO QUIT HER QUIET PRAYER.
Song
“Standin’ In The Need Of Prayer” is on page 53 of the Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Lead the children in prayer thanking God for hearing and answering Hannah’s prayer and for hearing and answering the prayers of all His children:
Dear God,
Thank You for hearing me when I pray out loud and when I pray a Quiet Prayer. Thank You for hearing Hannah and for answering her prayer. I know You will answer my prayers, too.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen
Printable Pages
