Focus
Stop and thank God for being present with you today. Ask for God’s guidance as you hear God’s voice through scripture and the writer.
Read
1 Samuel 1:19-27 (NRSV)
They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD; then they went back to their house at Ramah. Elkanah knew his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I have asked him of the LORD.”
The man Elkanah and all his household went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and to pay his vow. But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, that he may appear in the presence of the LORD, and remain there forever; I will offer him as a nazirite for all time.” Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do what seems best to you, wait until you have weaned him; only—may the LORD establish his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son, until she weaned him. When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. She brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh; and the child was young. Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the LORD. For this child I prayed; and the LORD has granted me the petition that I made to him.
Reflect
Like me, my father is a minister. He has told the story of feeling the call to preach a multitude of times. He prayed, saying that if God would give him a child, he would surrender to the call and offer his child back to God. It was not long before my parents found out that my mother was pregnant with me. My father followed through on that vow and has been a preacher for over 40 years. He also strove to make sure that my younger brothers and I sought to serve God and share God with others.
I am far from perfect. I am far from the best minister that I could be. However, I love the opportunity that I have to serve in this capacity and I will forever be grateful for my parents and their diligence in making sure that I knew God and what God could do in and through me. Of course, there were also countless others who played a role in making sure that I had the opportunity to grow in faith.
Samuel would become a great prophet and a vital figure in Israel’s history. He was given a head start by his parents. Eli helped him Samuel on his journey. Others would help Samuel to grow into his calling. There are people around you today who need your help. They may be family. They may be friends. You may not really know them. But, you have the chance to help others grow in faith, just as numerous people helped to shape you.
Pray
God, you have given us so much. We thank you for the men and the women who have helped us to grow in our love and knowledge of you. We thank you for giving them the courage to make sacrifices and the wisdom to guide us on our paths. Help us to have the courage and the wisdom to guide others toward you and your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen.
Go with God.
Leave a Reply
Your email is safe with us.