“Speak Lord, your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:10
Our first session in our virtual classroom finds us exploring the story of Samuel. The story begins with Hannah crying at the temple as she prays for a baby. Her prayers are answered, and she returns to the temple when the child, Samuel, is old enough to be of use to the priest. She has promised God the child would grow to serve him, and her promise is kept as Samuel lives at the temple, serving God in all that he does. Then one night as he sleeps, Samuel hears a voice calling his name. He believes it to be the priest, but the priest realizes it must be God and instructs Samuel to answer. When the voice calls out again, Samuel answers the call by saying, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.”
This story reminds us to listen. We spend a lot of time in Sunday School talking about what it means to pray — the kids are often asked questions like what should we pray about (anything!) when should we pray (anytime!), what words do we use when we pray (all kinds of words!) and where should we go to pray (anywhere!). But, just as important as how we talk to God is how we listen. So as we explore this story online, kids are invited to enjoy activities and games that are all about listening!
We also use this story to discuss what it means to be a servant. Our music lessons hadve us singing “I serve a mighty God” and we can watch a Veggie Tales movie about using what God gives you to serve him always! You can find our virtual Christ’s Carousel classroom on the church website or on our ‘Children and Families and Mountain View’ facebook page.