Animated film: Samuel hears God’s voice
Sarah and Simon will be spending the night with grandma and grandpa, and they’ve been looking forward to it. When night falls and the children go to bed, Simon suddenly hears scary noises and sees shadows through the window. He wakes Sarah and together they go to grandma. As always, she knows exactly which Bible story can help the children.
She tells the story of Hannah, who wanted a child so badly. She prayed to God and He made it so that Hannah had a little boy whom she named Samuel. As Samuel grew older, he came to Eli, who was a priest at the time, and helped him in the temple. One night, Samuel heard someone calling his name. At first he thought it was Eli, but eventually both he and Eli realized that it was God calling Samuel. This is how Samuel learned as a child to hear and follow God’s voice.
God speaks to our conscience
God speaks to us in many different ways, but we may not hear His voice in the same way that Samuel did. But God has given us something that helps us understand what He wants us to do, and that is our conscience. When we do something wrong, such as lying, stealing or being mean to others, we often have a bad feeling inside. This is God reminding us that we have done something wrong and need to make it right. When we say sorry and try to put things right, we get a good feeling in our hearts, and that is God saying that we’ve done the right thing. Just as Samuel listened to God, we can also listen to Him through our conscience.
We must listen carefully to the voice in our heart and do what it says. That way, we keep a clean and beautiful heart and a good conscience. And that’s exactly what Jesus did. And now He is with God in heaven, helping us to do good too. What’s great is that He wants to help us even before we have to make a choice. He knows how hard it can be not to say something mean back if someone says something mean to me, for example. And He can help us do good, because He knows what it’s like to be a child who has to make the right choice. Jesus got strength from God every day to always choose the good, and He can help us do the same every day.
Questions for discussion
Songs that go with the theme
SOS 1: Always when I pray to You (possibly only the chorus)
AB 246: Jesus is so good (1st verse and chorus; let the children answer “YES!”)
Bible verses that fit the theme
Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.”
1 Samuel 3:10
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
John 10:27
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.
Psalm 32:8
