Speak, your servant is listening

I love to use multi-sensory elements during children's time. He is an example from 1 Samuel 3 when God calls Samuel's name in the temple that uses blankets for touch and ashes in a paper bag for smell.

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we just read a story
what was the little boy's name
where did he live (temple is like a church)
where did he work (has family that visits, but he works with a priest)
old man's name
what do you think it was like to sleep in the temple/church every night?

Sometimes I like to understand a bible story by imagining I was there. Let's imagine what Samuel might have felt. This story has Samuel in bed at night in the temple right? So why don't we use some blankets and pillows.

what do you think Samuel's bed might have been like?
how do these blankets or pillows feel on your face right now?
Can you imagine feeling really, really sleepy like it is the middle of the night and somebody just woke you up?

Now while we are imagining we are in the story, let's think about the smells of the temple Samuel might have smelled as he fell asleep. I have a bag here that smells like something Samuel might have smelled. Want to try?

fire, lamps

Ok, as we pretend to be in the story warm in our soft beds and smelling the lamps, and feeling SO sleepy, let's think about what Samuel heard. Samuel's Priest Eli was almost blind and very old and probably couldn't see very well at night. I bet sometimes when he needed help he called out to Samuel for help. In our story when Samuel hears his name called, he goes to check on Eli and says, "Here I am." So I want you all to pretend to be sleeping Samuel and I am going to call your name and I want you to jump up and say loudly, "Here I am!"

Samuel...here I am
Samuel...here I am
Samuel...here I am

Now, the third time Samuel went to check on his master, Eli, they realized that it wasn't Eli calling Samuel BUT God!

What do you think God's voice sounded like?
What do you think Samuel's voice sounded like?

When God called to Samuel again Samuel said, "Speak, your servant is listening." This was a long, long time ago. Samuel didn't speak English. So it would have sounded like "HEBREW." (daber kiy shome av’dekah) Can you guys try that with me? Ok, yeah, it's really hard. We had better do it in English. So let's do this one more time. You lay down and pretend to be Samuel, I'll call your name, but this time you know it is God calling you, so I want you to jump up and shout "Speak, your servant is listening."

I want you to be proud and excited; do you think you can do that?

Samuel... Speak, your servant is listening."

PRAY