7 day plan

Sharing faith in God for the future

Day 2 of 7

NIV

1 Samuel 3:19-20

19The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. 20And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord.

Reflection: In 1 Samuel 1, we read the story of Hannah, the mother of the Prophet Samuel.  Hannah is a perfect example of a woman who loved and trusted the Lord. She prayed a sincere prayer asking God to give her a son. She also made this vow: “O LORD of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime”.

When God answered her prayer, Hannah fulfilled her promise. She had Samuel with her until he was weaned and then gave him to God to serve in the tabernacle. During these few years when Samuel was with her, she taught him about God’s love and mercies to his people. For sure she taught him that he was an answer to prayers as his name “Samuel” indicated.

Each year when she and her husband came to worship at the tabernacle, Hannah gave Samuel a new robe like that worn by priests. She wanted to affirm that she kept him there to serve God. Despite bad models in Eli’s sons, Samuel still grew in his knowledge and love for the Lord.

God used Samuel to anoint the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David. As a result of being brought up by a praying mother, we read in many instances that he prayed for the people of Israel. He also promised them: “far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.” (1 Samuel 12:23).

Our prayers for our children and our godly life will no doubt have a great influence on them even when evil is spread around them everywhere.

At an age where children are open and eager to learn, the Bible Society of Egypt has provided a summer church-wide Bible competition program, challenging thousands of primary-age students to develop the skills and familiarity to confidently study the Scriptures on their own. The inter-church quiz-show events and prizes are an important motivational factor, increasing the involvement of the whole family!

Prayer: Dear Lord, we put our children in your hands. Evil and sin are widely spread. Protect them from evil and lead them to your path. We pray that they grow to be men and women of prayer.

The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.

Days

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7

1 Samuel 3:1-21

The Lord Calls Samuel

1The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.

2One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4Then the Lord called Samuel.

Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

6Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”

7Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

8A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

11And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. 12At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. 13For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. 14Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’ ”

15Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”

Samuel answered, “Here I am.”

17“What was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.” 18So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.”

19The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. 20And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. 21The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.

The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.