Elementary Level, Block 7—Salomon, Kings and Prophets
Week 69
Daniel—Praying to God for God’s Interests
Point to Emphasize: We can be those who pray for what God needs.
Reading Reference: Daniel 6:10; 2:18, 20-23; 9:5, 10, 19
Memory Verse: …They ought always to pray and not lose heart. (Luke 18:1)
Story Sample:
Who remembers whom we’ve been talking about for the past few weeks here in the children’s meeting? That’s right! Daniel! Daniel was special for many reasons, and today we are going to talk about one very special reason. The Bible calls Daniel a man of preciousness. What do you think it means to be a man of preciousness? It does not mean only physically beautiful! The dictionary says that something precious is something invaluable, priceless, dearest or beloved. Would you like to be someone whom God calls a man of preciousness or to be someone who is without any value? I am sure that we all would like to be someone whom God calls a person of preciousness. Now, what made Daniel a man of preciousness? Let’s see!
Daniel’s preciousness came from his willingness to pray! Daniel knew how to come to God and talk to Him. Whenever something happened, he would go to God and pray. The Bible tells us that Daniel prayed three times every day. Nothing could stop Daniel’s praying.
What do you think Daniel prayed for? Sometimes he prayed when he needed God’s help, and other times he prayed to thank God for helping him. But he didn’t only pray when he needed help. He didn’t only pray for himself. He also prayed for what God needed—he prayed that God could get what He wanted.
From an early age, my parents taught me to talk to God. Not only did they teach me to pray, showing me how to do it, but often times I would find my dad and my mom praying, even on their knees. I would pray before eating a meal and thank God for giving me something to eat. I would pray in the morning and thank God for the day ahead. I would also pray at night before going to bed and thank God for the day He gave me. I remember, though, the day when my dad gathered us in our living room and said, “We need to pray. God needs a building in Anaheim to be able to gather many people from the entire earth and speak to them.” I was in awe. I said, “I have been praying for the things I wanted, but now I get to pray for something God needs!” It was an awesome moment when we all prayed as a family for God to have the building He needed. [Storyteller, insert your experience of praying for God’s needs.]
If you want to be teens and young men who pray, you should start talking to God and telling Him your concerns now, as children. In this way, you will keep growing and in your teenage years and as young adults you will have many times to pray to God for your needs. Later, you will be on your knees praying for what God needs. I really hope that you all will be these kind of children, precious to God, learning to come close to God and talk to Him.