This lesson teaches children that God is the one we should ask for help, not people or magic tricks. It is designed for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
When we are scared, we should go to God in prayer and trust Him, because He is the only one who truly knows what is going to happen. Shortcuts that pretend to talk to Him never help.
Memory Verse
1 Samuel 12:24
Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you.
(WEB)
Put your hands together like you are praying, then slowly open them wide as you say the verse out loud. Do the motion each time you say it so the children remember that God is the one we turn to.
The Story: 1 Samuel 28 for Kids
A long time ago, the Philistines gathered a huge army to fight against Israel. King Saul looked at all those soldiers and felt very afraid. His heart was shaking inside him, and he wanted to know what would happen in the battle.
Saul asked God what to do, but God did not answer him. Saul had once told everyone in the land to stop using fortune tellers and people who pretended to speak to the dead. Now, in his fear, Saul wanted one of them after all. He dressed up in other clothes so no one would know who he was, and he went at night to a woman who had a special spirit in Endor.
The woman was surprised to see him. She said, “You know what Saul did to people like me. Why are you trying to trap me?” Saul made a promise in God’s name that she would not be punished. Then he asked her to bring up Samuel, the prophet who had already died.
When Samuel appeared, the woman cried out loud, because she was amazed. Samuel spoke to Saul and said, “Why have you disturbed me? God has left you, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me.” Saul fell down to the ground because he was so scared, and he had not eaten anything all day.
The woman kindly made a meal for Saul and his servants. They ate together, and then they got up and walked away into the night. Saul had learned a hard lesson that he could not escape by going to the wrong place.
Read It Together
1 Samuel 28:6
When Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD didn’t answer him by dreams, by Urim, or by prophets.
(WEB)
Point out that Saul asked God for help, but God did not answer him that way. Ask the children why it might be hard to wait for God when we are scared and want an answer right away.
1 Samuel 28:15
Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me, to bring me up?” Saul answered, “I am very distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me, and answers me no more, by prophets, or by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I shall do.”
(WEB)
Show the children how Saul said he was distressed and felt alone. Talk about a time they felt scared or alone and who they could turn to for help.
1 Samuel 28:21-22
21 The woman came to Saul, and saw that he was very troubled, and said to him, “Behold, your servant has listened to your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have listened to your words which you spoke to me. 22 Now therefore, please listen also to the voice of your servant, and let me set a morsel of bread before you. Eat, that you may have strength, when you go on your way.”
(WEB)
Point out how the woman cared for Saul by making him a meal when he was weak. Explain that God often shows His care for us through the people around us.
Talk About It
- What did King Saul do when he felt scared, and what could he have done instead?
- Why do you think God did not answer Saul the way he wanted?
- What are some ways you can talk to God when you feel afraid?
- How did the woman show kindness to Saul, even though he had been unkind to people like her?
- Who are the people God has given you to help you when you are scared?
Activity Ideas
Prayer Hands Drawing
Give each child a sheet of paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Have them trace their own hands and draw a small picture of something that scares them inside one palm and a picture of God inside the other. Talk about how God is bigger than any fear.
Follow the Leader Prayer Walk
Clear some space in the room. Tell the children to walk slowly when you say “Saul is scared” and to stop and fold their hands in prayer when you say “Turn to God.” Repeat the pattern a few times so the children connect fear with turning to God rather than hiding.
Take-Home Memory Card
Cut index cards in half and give each child one. Have them write or draw a picture of the memory verse and a simple reminder, like “Go to God.” Ask them to keep the card by their bed and read it aloud at bedtime with a parent or family member.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows the tragedy of a leader who turned away from God and tried to get answers from forbidden sources. Saul’s fear led him to disobey the very rules he had once enforced, and the chapter reminds us that God’s word is faithful even when He seems silent. It also shows how unexpected kindness can come from people we might not expect.
Avoid overstating the details of the séance or suggesting that children should be frightened by the spiritual themes. Keep the focus on Saul’s fear, God’s faithfulness, and the simple choice to trust Him rather than looking for shortcuts.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You that we never have to be afraid alone. Help us to come to You when we feel scared, and help us trust You more than anything else. Thank You for the people You give us to care for us. Amen.
