If your class is meeting online, invite students to bring supplies with them to class.

Our lesson today used Daniel to teach us about the importance of and the power of prayer. Daniel made prayer a part of his daily life, even when it was against the law to pray to God. No matter what might have been going on in his life, regardless of how big or little, prayer was the most important part of Daniel’s daily routine. And when he faced huge, scary challenges—whether it was an angry king or a hungry lion—Daniel knew to turn to God first. Daniel talked with God constantly, and he relied on God to help him through the little and the big things that happened in his life.

Have a volunteer read the memory verse.

Prayer isn’t meant to be something we do just once during the day and then cross off our list. God wants us to communicate with Him constantly throughout our day. This is a right we have in our country that Daniel did not have, and that’s not something we should ever take for granted.

There is a well-known Sunday school song that you may have learned when you were little—the lyrics are: “Whisper a prayer in the morning, whisper a prayer at noon, whisper a prayer in the evening, to keep your heart in tune.” That song was written as a simple reminder to always, always be praying and talking with Jesus.

Do you think you can make prayer a regular and consistent part of your day? One simple way to help us regularly pray is to pray for a different person every day. 

Distribute supplies (or invite students to have them ready at home). Have your students write the lesson’s memory verse on the lines at the top of the paper. Allow students to write days of the week on their papers with enough space to write next to each day. Then, invite them to write specific people they can pray for next to each day of the week.

As you walk through each day in this upcoming week, try to keep in mind the idea of devoting yourself to prayer. Keep this paper in a place that will remind you to keep talking with God. Strive for more than just praying before meals and before you go to bed. Pray that God will bring communication with Him to your mind often as you work to follow Daniel’s example of praying continually.  

Conclude the class by giving students the opportunity to pray aloud. When students have finished praying, close by asking God to work in the hearts and minds of each student throughout the week by giving them a heart that desires to pray and talk with their heavenly Father.