A children's story about how God sometimes doesn't answer our prayers or give us what we ask for.
Have you ever played a game called Sleeping Lion? (How about in the Audience?)
What about Dead fish - that's the name I know the game by, but lets go with Sleeping Lion as that fits what we're talking about today better.
So, to play Sleeping Lion you essentially have to lie down and not make a sound, not even a whisper, and if you can, not move either.
Normally if you do make a noise, or move, you’re out of that round.
Today, the winners who can keep quiet and still can each win a little box of Smarties. But if you get caught out making a noise, or moving a lot, you’ll only get one Smartie.
There’s one more catch.
Ally and Hope are going to come in a moment, and in this analogy, they think that if they can make you make a noise, they will win your single Smartie to eat.
BUT they don’t know that if you keep quiet, you AND they will win a whole little box of Smarties. But you can’t tell them that because you have to keep quiet.
When my timer goes off, it means it’s time to tell the girls the news! And we’ll hand out the Smarties.
So keep quiet and win yourself, and the girls a box of smarties each.
If you make a noise, you and the girls will only get one smartie each. Got it?
[Girls go up to individuals and speak to them separately, ]
- Who here has a Smartie to give me?
- Hello, can I have a Smartie please?
- I love Smartie so much, I’d really like one please?
- Why won’t you give me a Smartie!
- I’m being so kind and nice. Can’t I have a Smartie?
- I really, really, really want a Smartie! I’ll share it with you, half-half??
- Fine I don’t want a Smartie anyway. Keep it yourself.
- How come you’re not giving me a Smartie?
- Why won’t you answer me!
[Timer/alarm plays when everyone’s been approached.]
Well done everyone! Do you want to tell the girls what they get?
You know sometimes we can ask God for answers or direction in our life and He just doesn’t answer right away, or for some things it may feel like he NEVER answers us at all – it’s like God just goes silent – even though we’re asking nicely, and asking for good things.
When that happens, God will always have a good reason why he’s not answering us. All we can do is trust God is being silent for a good reason. Often he has something bigger and better planned for us, He just can’t tell us about it yet.
Performance: Castle Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church - December 17, 2022