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TEXT: Genesis 12:1-4; 17:1-4,19-21; 21:1-3
OBJECTIVE
The students will be able to explain that God answers some of our prayers with a Wait.
BIBLE LESSON OUTLINE
Introduction: Use the In-class Activity utilizing a calendar as your opener for this session. Point out that we have examples in the Bible of times when people had to wait for an answer to their prayers, and this may happen in our lives too.
- When Abraham was 75 years old, God promised him a son.
- God also promised Abraham he would be the father of a great nation.
- Twenty-four years later, God told Abraham he would have a son in the next year, though Abraham and Sarah were too old to have children.
Climax: God answered prayer and a son, Isaac, was born when Abraham was 100 years old.
Conclusion: Even though the answer to our prayers may be Wait, we can have confidence in God because He never fails to keep His word.
Response: Your students will be able to relate God's promise to Abraham, and describe how he had to wait to see that promise fulfilled. They will be able to com pare this to circumstances in our lives, explaining that at times we will have to wait to see an answer to our prayers also.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
What do you do when God seems slow in answering prayer?
Perhaps you need to pray with more faith. God teaches us to come boldly to the Throne of Grace.
Maybe you need to learn patience. The Scripture says "But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." Also, "For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise."
God may be using your need to help another believer develop generosity. While you are waiting for an answer to your prayer, God may be telling someone else exactly what you need.
Many times, God uses the generosity of one believer to answer the prayers of a person in need.
God may want you to prove Philippians 4:11-13 in your life. Paul learned to be content whether or not he had everything he felt he needed. Contentment is not automatic for today's Christian child. He is enticed by commercials and by possessions of other children. God says, "And having food and raiment let us be therewith content."
IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES
- Make flip-sided stick-puppets of Abraham and Sarah (see Patterns). Attach a popsicle stick between the front and back of each puppet. First show the children what Abraham and Sarah might have looked like when God first gave them the promise of a son. Then turn the puppets around to show what they might have looked like when Isaac was finally born.
- Make a paper chain which has 25 links. Place the chain in a basket or container so the children can't see where the end is. Tear off one link at a time as you tell the story. Tell the children that Abraham didn't know if he would have to wait one year or fifty years or even longer before his promised son would be born. When the last link has been torn away, talk about how happy Abraham and Sarah were. At last, God had given them their little son, Isaac. If we wait patiently for God's time, we will be happy when He answers our prayer.
- Make a set of puzzle squares for each child in your class (see Patterns). Copy each puzzle onto heavy paper, cover it with contact paper, cut it into squares, and store it in a Ziploc bag. The puzzle contains the word WAIT and other words which mean the same. They are paired off according to type style. As the children match each of the words and styles, talk about reasons that God might answer Wait to some of our prayers.
- Use Prayerful Puppy to help you explain that we should continue to pray and wait patiently for our prayers to be answered (see Patterns). Let the children take turns reading the verses and adding the body parts which help Prayerful Puppy to grow. Explain that prayer and patience will help all Christian boys and girls to grow for Jesus.
- To introduce, on a child's level, the subject of "waiting," bring a calendar to class. Show the children where Christmas comes. Elaborate a bit on what a happy, exciting time the holiday season is and how difficult it is to wait for it. Show how many squares (days) must go by until Christmas is here. But emphasize that we know it is coming! Just so, we can be sure God will answer our prayers in His own time and in the way He sees is best.
QUESTIONS
- Ask the children to name some things that they have had to wait for - Christmas, birthday, new brother or sister, new toy, etc.
- Does it take more faith to wait for God's answer than to have an immediate Yes or No? Why?
- What was God's promise to Abraham?
- What would have happened if Abraham had doubted God's promise?
- Sometimes we do things our own way because we think God is taking too long. How do you think God feels about this?
- Talk about how God knows the future - the road up ahead that we will travel. Waiting for an answer may be necessary.
- Talk about testimonies of people who had to wait for Jesus to answer a prayer (healing, etc.).
- How should you wait?
- Tell about a time when God did not answer your prayers right away. How long did you have to wait?
PRE-SCHOOL SUGGESTIONS
- Make a copy of the road scene (see Patterns). Using a little car, let the children go on a pretend trip to Grandma's house. Tell them they must obey the traffic lights before they cross streets, they must watch out for pedestrians, they can't just go through people's yards, etc. They will eventually get to where they are going but they have to be patient and wait.
- Tell the children they will get a treat if they wait patiently while you teach the lesson. Sometimes we have to wait for something good. Be sure to give the treat!
- Show the children an egg with a chick inside (see Patterns). Tell them that they have to wait for the egg to hatch before a cute chick is born. If they try to help it out of the shell, the little chick won't live. God's timing is best.
REVIEW IDEAS
To illustrate why sometimes it is necessary to accept waiting, put on a skit or puppet show involving a child who wants to have his birthday party right now rather than waiting until the actual day given on the invitation. Have his mother reluctantly agree, but then show the results: his friends are unable to come because they had other plans, his mother had not yet purchased a present for him, she had not baked his cake yet, there were no games prepared, no decorations put up. How much better if he had waited until the proper time!
Prepare the transparencies for an overhead review on God's promise to Abraham (see Patterns). Following is a sample dialogue to go with the picture series (you fill in the needed details).
1. God wanted Abraham to go to another country. He said, "Abraham, you will have many children. You will become a great nation."
2. Abraham was seventy-five years old when God told these things to him. But, he and his wife Sarah packed their things and traveled to the new country.
3. When Abraham was ninety-nine years old, he was still waiting for the son God had promised him.
4. Abraham was reminded by God that he would be come a great nation. God said, "Sarah will have the promised son and you will name him Isaac."
5. God said He would bless Abraham's other son named Ishmael. But the promise would be for Isaac.
6. When Abraham was 100 years old, his promised son, Isaac, was born.
7. Wow, twenty-five years is a long time to wait for a promise to be fulfilled!
8. God will answer Wait to some of your prayers. What are some things you may have to wait a long time for? Maybe you wish you could drive a car. How long will you have to wait?
9. Perhaps some of you want to get married some day. What age do you want to be? How long will you have to wait?
10. Or maybe you can hardly wait for vacation to begin. You won't have to wait quite as long for that prayer to be answered as some, but still you must wait.
11. Some things don't require such a long wait. You usually wait just a short time to find out if you get dessert, or if you can stay up past normal bed time, or if you can sleep late in the morning.
12. Whatever your prayers are for, be patient and know that God will answer.
SUPPORT MATERIAL
Abraham, Sarah and the Promised Son — Arch Book, Concordia
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