God Calls Samuel in the Night Preschool Lesson
Preschool lesson (ages 3–6, 20 minutes)
1. Welcome (3 min)
Sit in a circle, greet every child by name and show one thing from the story to touch.
2. The little story (5 min)
Teach the refrain first: “The LORD called Samuel.”
Samuel was a boy who lived in the LORD’s house at Shiloh. He helped old Eli the priest. Eli’s eyes were weak, and he could not see well.
In those days, God did not speak to people very often. People did not often hear God’s voice.
One night Eli was lying down in his own place. Samuel lay down to sleep near God’s ark. The ark was the special golden box in God’s house. God’s lamp was still burning. It was a lamp with oil that burned in God’s house at night. Morning had not come yet. Everything was quiet. Shhh. The LORD called Samuel.
“Here I am,” said Samuel. He jumped up and ran to Eli. Pitter-pat, pitter-pat went his feet. “Here I am; for you called me.” Eli said, “I didn’t call. Lie down again.” So Samuel went back to bed. Can you lie down and close your eyes, like Samuel?
Then the LORD called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am; for you called me.” Eli said, “I didn’t call, my son. Lie down again.”
Samuel did not know the LORD’s voice yet. God had never spoken to him before. Then it happened a third time. The LORD called Samuel. Samuel went to Eli again. “Here I am; for you called me.”
Now Eli understood. It was the LORD calling the boy! Eli said, “Go, lie down. If he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD; for your servant hears.’”
So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Then the LORD came and stood there. He called, just like before, “Samuel! Samuel!” How many times has God called now? Let’s count: one, two, three, four!
This time Samuel did not run to Eli. He stayed in his place and listened. Samuel said, “Speak; for your servant hears.” Can you whisper it with Samuel? “Speak; for your servant hears.” The LORD called Samuel.
The LORD told Samuel something important about Eli’s family. It was hard news. Samuel lay there until morning.
In the morning, Samuel opened the doors of the LORD’s house. Samuel was afraid to tell Eli what God had said. Then Eli called him. “Samuel, my son!” Samuel said, “Here I am.”
“What is the thing that he has spoken to you?” Eli asked. “Please don’t hide it from me.” So Samuel told him every bit. He did not hide anything. Eli said, “It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him.”
Samuel grew up. The LORD was with him. Everything Samuel said from God came true. Not one of his words fell to the ground!
Everyone in the whole land knew that Samuel was a prophet of the LORD. They knew it from one end of the land to the other. A prophet tells people God’s words.
The LORD spoke to Samuel again and again, there in Shiloh. God knew Samuel’s name, and he knows every child’s name. The LORD called Samuel.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- What do you think Samuel thought when Eli said, “I didn’t call”?
- If God called your name, what would you say?
4. Move (3 min)
Refrain Freeze: move around the room; when you say the refrain, everyone freezes and says it together.
5. Make (4 min)
Color the 4 speech bubbles for the 4 times the LORD called Samuel, and God’s lamp.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“Speak; for your servant hears” — 1 Samuel 3:10 (Speak → cup your hand behind your ear; your servant hears → point to yourself and nod)
Dear God, thank you that you know my name. Help me to listen to you, like Samuel. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: God Knows Your Name
Memory verse: “Samuel said, "Speak; for your servant hears."” — 1 Samuel 3:10 · WEB
The Bible story
On a quiet, dark night, a little boy called Samuel hears a mysterious voice whisper his name again and again — could it really be God calling him?
Talk about it
- Where did young Samuel live and help each day? — In God's house, the temple
- What was the name of the old priest Samuel helped? — Eli
- What time of day did God call Samuel? — At night
- What was still glowing softly inside the temple? — The lamp of God
- When Samuel first heard his name, who did he think was calling? — Eli
- What did Samuel say when he reached Eli? — Here I am, you called me
Where is Jesus in this story?
Just as God called Samuel by name, God still calls each one of us to come close to Him. Many years later, God sent His own Son, Jesus, who calls us like a gentle shepherd calling his sheep. Jesus said that his sheep know his voice and follow him. When we learn to listen for God, we are getting ready to hear Jesus, who loves us and leads us safely home.
What God wants to tell us
God did not wait for Samuel to be big or clever. He called Samuel by name in the middle of the night, simply because He loved him. God knows your name too, and He loves to be close to you. When we stop and listen with a quiet heart, we can talk to God anywhere — even in the dark. You are never too small for God to notice and to love.
Prayer
Father God, thank You for knowing my name and loving me so much. Help me to be quiet and to listen for You, just like Samuel did. Please give me a happy, listening heart today, and help me follow You wherever You lead. Amen.
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