Day2
Week4
1 Samuel
“But the boy Samuel served the Lord. He wore a sacred linen apron. Each year his mother made him a little robe. She took it to him when she went up to Shiloh with her husband. She did it when her husband went to offer the yearly sacrifice.”
1 Samuel 2:18-19 NIRV
Cross references
Exodus 28:4;
Exodus 28:31
But
When you see this word, you know there is a contrast coming or a contradiction of sorts.
Samuel, the boy served the Lord.
We read about Hophni and Phineas yesterday who certainly did not serve the Lord.
Hannah only had 3 short years to teach and train Samuel to respect and honor God.
This is remarkable to me. In our culture, we would consider Samuel to be too young to understand much at 3 years old. And after being abandoned by his mother and father; we would expect a child who would act out and be unruly.
That is not the case here.
Hannah instilled in Samuel a deep reverence for God and an obedient heart in only three years.
Hannah only saw her beloved son once a year after that.
Let that sink in.
Behavioral science has discovered that children learn more and faster in the first five years than at any other time. Also that early relationships play a huge part in their development.
Hannah made Samuel a robe and brought it to him each year. A special gift.
She continued to build her relationship with her son.
Hannah’s story is remarkable. She is an amazing example of devotion and obedience unto God.
But, do not view this story as cause to feel condemnation for what you did or didn’t do with your own children or what you may or may not be doing.
Learn from Hannah’s example and simply move forward wherever you are.
Action Step:
What relationships can I do better in?
Make it a priority to do one thing today to better that relationship. Building a bridge is done one block at a time
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