Leader Guide

Prayer

Trusting Prayers: Communicate with God.

After hearing the Assyrians’ demands and threats, King Hezekiah knew that the only hope for Jerusalem was to trust in God. He tore his clothes and put on burlap. This represents intense mourning, grief, repentance, and deep sorrow. It shows humility and submission before God. The king then sent messengers to Isaiah the prophet, hoping the Lord would speak to him. Then Hezekiah went into the Temple. Soon, he received a letter written by the Assyrian king with even more bad news! (See 2 Kings 19:1–13.)

Optional: read Hezekiah’s prayer in the Temple: 2 Kings 19:14–19.

Have you ever had a bad day, where one bad thing after another seems to happen? Hezekiah was having one of these days, and it kept getting worse. God’s people were helpless; they needed their king to do something—and quickly! Hezekiah spread King Sennacherib’s letter out before the Lord and prayed. He said something very important in his prayer: he said the other nations’ gods did not help them against the Assyrians. But those gods were formed by human hands and not real—God was the only living God who could rescue them from the enemy's power!

In this time of prayer, I would like you to think of something you need God’s help with—something only He can do. It could be something at school. It may be for yourself or someone else, such as for a sickness or a relationship that needs to be healed. It could be someone who needs to know Jesus and receive His love and salvation. Whatever the situation, God is real and alive, and when we put our complete trust in Him, He will answer.

Let’s do as the king did when he spread out the letter before the Lord. I would like you to hold out your hands, palms up before God, and state your need silently to Him. Doing this represents our dependence on Him—that we are trusting Him alone for help. Let’s bow our heads, close our eyes, and do that now. Allow children time to pray.

Close: Dear God, You spoke to Isaiah and gave him an answer for Hezekiah. You did not allow the enemy to enter Jerusalem or even shoot one arrow. Thank You for protecting and saving Your people. We praise You for hearing our requests today. We are trusting in You alone for the answer! In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen!