Scripture: 2 Kings 18-20, 2 Chronicles 29-32
Learning Objectives:
- Students will learn God wants us to pray to him when we have problems.
- Students will learn God can cause miraculous things to happen.
- Students will learn pride can cause problems for us and for others.
- Students will participate in a service project creating prayer shawls for those who are ill.
Guiding Question: Why is regular prayer important in our relationship with God?
Materials: Knitting materials: yarn, knitting tools, etc.
Procedure: Explain to them, God does not always send us signs (like He did Hezekiah) to prove He will say “yes”, “no” or “wait” to our prayers. Rather, the sign we receive is the answer itself. Explain to students the importance of regular prayer. Tell them sometimes we forget we have prayed to God about something, because the answer to our prayers may not be immediate. When we get our answer, we may even forget to thank God for answering our prayers. (If time allows, it is good to review that when God answers “no” or “wait” we have to trust Him – even if we don’t particularly like the answer.)
Introduce the activity. Explain that when people are ill, one thing that can really make them feel better is knowing that others are praying for them. Explain that a prayer shawl is something that someone who is sick can where and remind them that they were/are being prayed for. Have the students make prayer shawls with fabric or by knitting or crocheting. Each student can do a shawl or one or two rows and pass to the next person. The students should pray for a specific person who is ill that will receive it as they work on the shawl.
Additional Questions: How can students serve those who are sick in their congregation?
Supplemental Activity: Have students send cards with encouraging notes and Bible verses. Have students include that they are praying for that person.