A woman trusts in God when she is afraid
key words
bible reference
2 Kings 4:8-37
lesson objective
To help the children learn they can trust God when they feel sad.
memory verse
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5, NIV*).
prepare yourself to teach
This story talks about the trust that developed between a Shunammite woman and the prophet Elisha. She lived in Shunem, a city 32 kilometers south of Mount Carmel. Every time Elisha traveled between Mount Carmel and Jezreel, he stopped at the home of this woman and her husband. She would offer hospitality to Elisha, preparing food and providing a room in her house. Hospitality was very important in biblical times. Without the hospitality of others, travelers would not have been able to rest, or gather food and water. Even though they were strangers, they depended on the kindness of people to have a safe place to spend the night.
Elisha appreciated her kindness and decided to give her something in return. He had realized that she had no children. Children were important to women. Through children, women received protection when their husbands were not there or died. Children were a source of hope and security for the future. Therefore, Elisha predicted to the woman that she would have a child and that is what happened.
However, things did not go well after the birth. Some time later, the boy became ill and died. Her hope was shattered. Once again she had no children, but this time having experienced what it is to be a mother. This woman could have quit everything, but instead, she decided to trust and went in search of Elisha. She knew that the prophet had asked God for that child, and that he would intercede again before the Lord.
God demonstrated his great power through Elisha, restoring life to the son of the Shunammite woman. Death is not a limit to God. When sadness returns, let us remember this woman, who chose to trust in God in the midst of tragedy and received restoration and consolation.
adaptation
Death may be a difficult concept for preschoolers to understand. Listening about the death of another child can disturb them. And, if some have experienced the death of a loved one, it is likely that this story will cause them to be doubtful. They may think: “If God has power over death, why do people die?”
They are too young to understand the power of the resurrection and the promise of eternal life. What you can do is help them trust in God in the midst of sadness. Help them understand that it is normal to be sad or cry. Tell them that when they feel sad, God listens to them.
If there are children in your class who have already experienced the death of a relative, it may be good for them to talk with you about that experience. Listen as they talk about a person who died. Pray with them and encourage them to tell God how they felt after that experience. You will see how their confidence in the Lord will grow when they realize that they can talk to God when they are sad.
introduce the lesson
A room for a special guest
For this activity, you will need scissors, glue, pieces of cardboard (30 x 45 cm), pencils or colored markers, and magazine clippings of beds, chairs, tables, lamps, ornaments, etc.
Put the material on a table and ask the children to design a room for a special guest. Tell them: “If you had to fix a room in your house for a special guest, what would you like to put in it?” (Allow them to respond.)
Help them paste the pictures they chose to make their room.
Explain that today’s Bible story is about a woman who prepared a special room for the prophet Elisha.
teach the lesson
Use this activity to help your children have a better understanding of the biblical truth.
It helps if you can create visual aids to illustrate your lesson. While narrating it, use gestures and change the tone of your voice to describe the situation and make it more interesting.
A mother who trusts in God
Elisha was a prophet who loved and listened to the voice of God. He gave messages from God to people.
One day Elisha had to go to a place called Shunem. A very kind woman lived there who loved God and wanted to be kind to the prophet.
“Come and eat with us,” she would say to Elisha. And the prophet, on several occasions, ate with the Shunammite woman and her husband.
“Elisha is a man of God,” the woman told her husband. “I would like to prepare a room so that when he passes by here, he has a comfortable place to rest.”
“I think that’s a good idea,” her husband said.
The woman worked hard to get the prophet’s room ready. She put a bed, a chair, a table and a candlestick in the room. At last the room was finished and it looked very nice!
When Elisha passed through that city again, he stayed to rest in his new room. The prophet was very happy with this place of rest. “You and your husband have been very good at arranging this place for me to rest. What do you want me to do for you?” Elisha asked.
“I do not need anything, thank you very much,” said the woman, and left to let the prophet rest.
“What can I do for her?” Elisha thought. His assistant reminded Elisha: “They have no children.” Upon hearing this, Elisha sent for the woman again.
“Next year you will have a son,” Elisha said.
After a year the woman had a baby and her son grew up. However, one day the boy became ill and died. His mother was very sad. She put her son on Elisha’s bed and quickly went to look for the prophet; she knew he could help her. This woman trusted that God could do a miracle for her son. Elisha was sad to hear the bad news and rushed to the woman’s house to see the child. When he arrived, he prayed for God’s help. Suddenly, the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. Elisha called the woman and said, “Take your son, he is alive.” This woman trusted that God could heal her son and the Lord answered her request.
connect the lesson
Help us Elisha!
Hand out Student Activity Sheet #76-A and #76-B. Provide scissors, a clip and a paper clip with two legs. Follow the instructions on the activity sheet to assemble the game board and use it. After the children have played, ask them: “What did the boy’s mother do when her child died?” (She went to look for Elisha.) “What did Elisha do to help the child?” (Prayed to God.) “How did God answer the prayer of Elisha?” (Healed the child.) “What can you do when you feel sad?” (Trust in God.)
Ask the children to take their activity sheets home and use them to tell the Bible story to their friends and family members.
practice the memory verse
Study the memory verse together: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). Ask your children to sit in a circle. Walk behind your children touching each shoulder while repeating the text. The last one you touch as you finish saying the verse will join you. Together you will walk around the others repeating this action until everyone goes behind you saying the verse.
wrap-up
Pray
Remember the prayer requests and intercede for them.
Encourage
Encourage the children to remember that no matter what happens during the week, they can trust in the power of God.
Invite
Make sure that the children pick up and make orderly their work area before leaving. Invite them to the next session.
* Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™