Seeking Shelter


Scripture: 1 Samuel 21-23

Learning Objectives:

  • Students will learn even though it was God’s Plan for him to be king, he had to wait many years and go through tough times before he became king.
  • Students will learn even though God has plans for us we may still have periods of waiting and tough times.
  • Students will learn God was still with David during those tough times and blessed him, just like God will be with Christians during our tough times.
  • Students will learn about shelters and donate items to a local shelter in need.

Guiding Question: How can people leaving unsafe situations be supported and cared for?

Materials: Donated items for shelter (will vary depending on the needs of the shelter you choose)

Procedure: Review the story of David on the Run from the scriptures above. Remind the students that David had to leave quickly to get to a new safe place and was not able to take much with him. He had to trust that God would provide for him and God always did. When things are difficult for us or we do not feel well equipped to do something, we must always remember that God is with us and will provide what He knows we need. There are many people today who live in unsafe places and need to leave quickly. They may not always have time to take all of their things with them when they go to a shelter. The shelter is in place to keep them safe and provide them their basic needs.

Introduce the service project. Tell the students that they are going to collect and donate items to a local shelter to help them support those staying there. (Prior to the lesson, reach out to a local shelter to ask what the students can donate and if a volunteer from the shelter can come to talk to the students about what they do to help others.) After the students have had time to collect all the items to donate, have a volunteer from the shelter come to class to share about what a shelter is, what their job is, and how shelters are important/those in shelters are supported. The volunteer can then take back all the items donated.

Additional Questions: How can we meet the basic needs of those close to us?

Supplemental Activity: Reach out to members of your congregation who have some needs you know the students could help meet. Have the students bring in these items and donate them to these members.

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