Waitlisted Week 3

Activity: Maze Game

The Big Idea: While we’re waiting, God is listening

Question: What's something you've been listening to recently?

Question: When do you struggle to listen or pay attention?

I want to do my best to make class as interesting as possible because I want yall to learn. I know it can be hard to sit here and listen to a lecture or preaching. But we gotta learn a little, can’t just have fun. So hopefully yall can help me to make it as easy as possible to listen and learn.

Question: When do you feel most heard or listened to? When do you not feel heard or listened to?

Just like I want to be heard and listened to, I also want you to feel like you are being heard and listened to. A couple of weeks ago, yall voted for games so I tried to create a way to get more games with the catalog. Last week yall asked for snacks, so we worked overtime to get the snack bar up and running. This is your class and I want yall to feel like you are a part of its growth. We hear yall.

Question: Why do you think some people struggle to believe God is listening to them?

1 Samuel 16:6–13 ESV

When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

David’s Timeline

Question: When you heard David's story, what stood out to you or surprised you and why?

Psalm 57:1–5 ESV

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness! My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts— the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!

Psalm 66:16–20 ESV

Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul. I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!

Psalm 116:1–6 ESV

I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!” Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful. The Lord preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me.

Question: How do you think David developed the confidence to write so many psalms about God listening to his prayers?

Question: Have you ever struggled to believe God heard your prayers? Tell us about it!

It can be hard sometimes to believe that God is hearing your prayers. Sometimes they don’t happen right away, David waited decades before his promise of becoming king ever came to pass. Sometimes it may seem like your prayers are far from being answered but God has a plan, you just have to trust and wait.

Question: If a friend said they weren't sure God heard their prayers, how would you encourage them?

Memory Verse:

1 John 5:14–15 ESV

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

Read I John 5:14-15. God hears every prayer, but do you think God answers every prayer? Why or why not?

Sometimes your prayers may not be answered, because we have to understand that sometimes we don’t even know what is good for us. There are things in life that we just aren’t meant to have. Have you ever seen Bruce Almighty, well he receives the powers of God for a day, and he uses the power to answer every prayer. But chaos breaks out, simply because people can be selfish or they can just ask for things that aren’t good for others around them. God knows whats best and we have to trust that he knows what is right for us and what isn’t.

Question: This week, what's something you're going to talk to God about more often?