Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Initiation of Children to the Faith
and Practices:
An Ear to God's Call
Mereen Zachariah
MTC of San
Francisco, CA
10 Now the Lord came and stood
there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your
servant is listening.”
The given passage talks about the young boy Samuel who is the son of Hannah and Elkanah. God answers Hannah’s prayers for a child and gives her Samuel. As she promised, Hannah gives Samuel back to the Lord and has him grow up with Eli, the priest, at the house of the Lord at Shiloh. “Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and with the people.” - 1 Samuel 2:26. It is during Samuel’s years growing up with Eli, that he hears the voice of the Lord. Samuel did not recognize the Lord’s voice initially, nor did Eli. But eventually, with Eli’s help and advice, Samuel gives an ear to the Lord and heeds to His call.
It is not only Eli or Samuel, but also Hannah and Elkanah who obeyed the divine call by dedicating their then only child to the Lord. It is Hannah’s obedience to the call that eventually made way for Samuel to be an instrument in God’s hands. We can see the dedication of Samuel at Shiloh in tune with baptizing an infant in our church. The infant is being blessed through the sacrament. The church is responsible in helping the child develop and nurture the relationship with God.
Here, we also see that God’s call came to young Samuel and not to Eli, or his sons who were priests. So God’s call can come to anybody and when it is least expected. Also it might not always be possible for one to hear God’s call on his or her own. It is important that we, as a faith community, help one another hear God’s call in our lives, just as Eli helped Samuel. Without that little help, it is possible that we might miss out on God’s call and the responsibility that He places before us.
The given passage talks about the young boy Samuel who is the son of Hannah and Elkanah. God answers Hannah’s prayers for a child and gives her Samuel. As she promised, Hannah gives Samuel back to the Lord and has him grow up with Eli, the priest, at the house of the Lord at Shiloh. “Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and with the people.” - 1 Samuel 2:26. It is during Samuel’s years growing up with Eli, that he hears the voice of the Lord. Samuel did not recognize the Lord’s voice initially, nor did Eli. But eventually, with Eli’s help and advice, Samuel gives an ear to the Lord and heeds to His call.
It is not only Eli or Samuel, but also Hannah and Elkanah who obeyed the divine call by dedicating their then only child to the Lord. It is Hannah’s obedience to the call that eventually made way for Samuel to be an instrument in God’s hands. We can see the dedication of Samuel at Shiloh in tune with baptizing an infant in our church. The infant is being blessed through the sacrament. The church is responsible in helping the child develop and nurture the relationship with God.
Here, we also see that God’s call came to young Samuel and not to Eli, or his sons who were priests. So God’s call can come to anybody and when it is least expected. Also it might not always be possible for one to hear God’s call on his or her own. It is important that we, as a faith community, help one another hear God’s call in our lives, just as Eli helped Samuel. Without that little help, it is possible that we might miss out on God’s call and the responsibility that He places before us.
PRAYER
Dear Lord, help us as a
faith community to encourage each other to yield to thy call. Amen.
THOUGHT
FOR THE DAY:
God is calling us every day. Are we listening?
God is calling us every day. Are we listening?