1 and 2 Samuel

The books of 1 and 2 Samuel tell the historical story of the Israelites. They include the stories of Hannah, Samuel, Saul and David. 

1 Samuel 2:1-10

Today's story looks at Hannah and the baby Samuel

Helping our children trust

This week, be intentional about lifting each child up with kind words and actions.  Trust is so important.  Our children can be battered around (emotionally, mentally, spiritually and physically) throughout the week so go the extra mile in making church and children’s church a safe haven.  When our children trust us and know that we’ll take care of them by being kind, understanding and listening to what they have to say, they can relax and learn to trust God, too.

Letting go

As a parent, I read the story of Hannah and Samuel with amazement, joy, admiration and a gut wrenching sense of uncertainty.  Could I have done what Hannah did?  Could I have given up the answer to my prayers? Could I have let go and kept my promise? 
Letting go of our children is a tough one, and most of us are not required to let go the way that Hannah did.  Not withstanding the incredible and miraculous events surrounding the story, as parents, we too are continually faced with letting go.  From our toddler who wants to pick out her own clothes, to our 5 year old just starting school, parenting is about the balance between holding on and letting go.  We want to love, teach, resource, and support our children so that eventually they will be able to be independent.  It can be a rough road.  I know of parents whose children have left for uni or their OE who are devastated; empty nesters who don’t know what to do with themselves.  Letting go doesn’t start when our children move out, it starts when they’re wee; when our baby squirms to get down from our arms, when our preschooler races off to kindy friends, when our older child chooses to bike to school, when we allow our teens to drive the car or set their own bedtime.  This week, identify moments throughout the day when you are practicing letting go- not to push your child away, but to allow them to grow into the person of God that He has ordained them to be.

Keeping promises

A story about Hannah and Samuel
​Hannah was very sad.  She had a husband named Elkanah whom she loved.  She had a nice house and good food.  Some people might think that Hannah had a good life, but she wasn’t happy.  She was sad all the time.  She cried, she didn’t want to eat her food.  Hannah wanted one thing more than anything else in the world and it was the one thing that she didn’t have.  Hannah wanted a child.  She tried to be cheerful.  She tried to smile and be happy, but when she saw other mothers with their children, she felt sooo sad.  Some other mothers teased her about not having children and that made things much worse.
Each year, Hannah and her husband went to the temple in Shiloh to have a special feast.   Hannah packed up good food and together they travelled to Shiloh.  When they got there, Hannah went in to the temple and sat down to talk to God.  She loved God very much and trusted him to take care of her and hear her prayers.  As she prayed she started to cry.  Her mouth moved as she spoke, but no sound came out.  
Just then the priest, Eli, came in and saw Hannah crying and talking to God.  He didn’t think she looked sad, he thought maybe she was drunk!  Eli came up to her and told her she shouldn’t be drunk and mumbling to God.  But Hannah said she wasn’t drunk.  She was just very very sad.  Eli sat down with her and Hannah shared that all she wanted was a baby and that if God gave her a little boy, she would bring that child back to the temple so that her son could serve and follow God his whole life.  Eli listened to her story and felt love for her.  He told her not to worry, that God had heard her prayers. 
Not long after that baby Samuel was born. Hannah and Elkanah, her husband, were very happy.  God had heard Hannah’s prayers.  When Samuel was 5 years old, Hannah took him to the temple so that he could live with Eli and learn more about God.  It was hard to leave her precious little boy with Eli, but Hannah had made a promise to God and she knew that God would take care of Samuel.
Every year, Hannah would visit Samuel at the temple, bring him new clothes and spend some time with him.  Samuel learned so much about God.  He was Eli, the priest’s, helper in the temple.  God was very happy with Hannah for keeping her promise and Hannah was very happy that God had given her a beautiful child!

A friendship without trust

What you need:Nothing
What you do:Say something like: I once had a friend named Kim*.  I really liked being with her.  She was fun and interesting.  We used to like to walk together so we could chat while we were exercising.  But then something happened. She got busier at work, so it was harder to arrange time together. A few times, I invited Kim over or to go out for a walk and she said she couldn’t make it.  Then she called and asked if I were free the next morning and I was.  So we planned to meet, but Kim didn’t show up.  I thought maybe she’d forgotten so wasn’t too worried.  But it happened again. We made a plan, and she wasn’t where we’d planned to meet. We organized to go out for coffee with 2 other friends and the three of us waited for Kim, but she didn’t come. It wasn’t a good feeling at all. I felt like I couldn’t trust her and didn’t want to make any more plans with her.  It was a bit sad.  Kim had been a good friend, but it didn’t feel like she valued our friendship.
In some ways, Hannah must have felt sad, not only that she didn’t have a child of her own, but also wondering whether God had really heard her prayers- and whether he was going to answer.  But God always hears and answers.  His answer might not always be ‘yes!’ He listens carefully.  He always ‘shows up’.  We never have to worry that God is going to forget about us. 
Through Eli, God promised Hannah a son, and Hannah made a promise back to God.  Hannah’s prayers were answered- that was God’s promise.  And Hannah gave Samuel to God’s service- that was Hannah’s promise!
 *If you have a similar story, use your own examples, names, etc.  If you don’t have a similar story, you can say something like, “There was once a girl named Julie who had a friend named Kim”

I wonder questions

  • I wonder how Hannah felt when she left Samuel at the temple.
  • I wonder what would have happened if Hannah had changed her mind and not taken Samuel to the temple.
  • I wonder if you’ve ever had to give up something or someone that your really loved.

Talking about Hannah

Some discussion questions:
  • Hannah made a very big promise to God by telling him she would give her first son to serve him. When Samuel was born, do you think it was hard for Hannah to hand over her son to Eli at the temple? 
  • Have you ever made a promise so big that you didn’t want to keep it? What did you do?
  • Can you think of any other stories that have promises in them?

Trust game

A game about listening and trusting
What you need: Nothing
What you do:
  1. Invite 3-4 people up front
  2. Have them close their eyes
  3. Explain: The group needs to count to 20.  Each person can say as many numbers as they want, but only 1 at a time.  There is no order of who goes first or second.  Instead this is a game about listening and trusting. 
  4. Remind everyone that this is hard! See how far they can get before two people speak at the same time.  Bring up another group and try again.

Teaspoon prayers

This is a simple way to help people learn to pray.

What you need: Optional: A teaspoon for each person or one to hold up for the group
What you do: Explain what tsp prayers are.  Say something like:
  • (Thank)Thank God for all that He’s done for you and others- the promises He’s kept.
  • (Sorry) Say sorry for the times you have not kept your promises- either to Him or to others
  • (Please) Ask for the things you need for yourself, for others and for the world, knowing that God hears your prayers.

Samuel (1 Samuel 9-16)

Activities

Media

The story of Hannah and baby Samuel (1 Samuel 2)
Samuel Hears God (Mina Munn's Godly Play)
God speaks to Samuel

​David (1 Samuel 16-)

David is a young shepherd who is chosen by God to rule Israel. He gains fame first as a musician and later by killing the giant Goliath, champion of the Philistines. He becomes a favorite of King Saul and a close friend of Saul's son Jonathan. After Saul and Jonathan are killed in battle against the Philistines, a 30-year old David is anointed king over all Israel and then conquers Jerusalem, establishing the city as his capital, and taking the Ark of the Covenant into the city to be the center of worship in the Israelite religion.

Activities

Media

David and Saul

Leaders

BibleProject overview on the book of 1 Samuel, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In 1 Samuel, God reluctantly raises up kings to rule the Israelites. The first is a failure, and the second, David, is a faithful replacement.
The BibleProject poster of the books of Samuel
Bible Explore
Developed by Strandz for the Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia
© 2022 Copyright Strandz. All rights reserved.
Photos from Unsplash