Here I am, Lord

Background: Even as a child, the future prophet Samuel heard the voice of God. Tended by Eli in the Temple, the boy slept near the Ark of the Covenant, which housed the tablets of law God had given to Moses.

Physically, the priest Eli had begun to lose his vision, but spiritually, the whole Hebrew nation had begun to lose sight of God. Visions and the word of the LORD came rarely, but even so, someone had to see or hear. Someone had to be open, childlike, and receptive to God.

So the LORD called the boy Samuel.
By name, God called, “Samuel, Samuel,”
and immediately
the boy got up and ran to Eli, saying,
“Here I am for you called.” But
Eli said, “No, I didn’t. Go back to bed.”

Samuel obeyed, but again
the LORD called, “Samuel!”
So again Samuel got up and
hurried to Eli, saying, “Here
I am for you called me.” But again
Eli said, “I did not call you, my son.
Go back to bed.”

Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD,
nor did he know the word of the LORD,
but the LORD called the boy a third time.
And again Samuel got up and went to Eli,
saying, “Here I am for you called me.”

Finally the priest discerned
what was happening.
The third time Eli learned
the LORD called,
and so he said, “Go back to bed,
and if the call comes again, say,
‘Speak, LORD,
for Your servant is listening’.”

Obeying, the boy hurried to bed,
and soon the LORD came to the child
and said, “Samuel! Samuel!”

And Samuel said, “Speak, LORD,
for Your servant is listening.”

So the word of the LORD, the plan
of the LORD came to Samuel, a child,
and that night a prophet
was born
in a child – an obedient child,
who heard the word of the LORD
and listened.

Post Script: The word God gave to Samuel that night was hard to hear! In essence, God told the child that Eli and his blasphemous sons would be punished for their disobedience and lose their place in the Temple forever!

Poor little Samuel didn’t sleep that night! He surely did not want to be the one to tell this hard news to Eli – the very priest who had tended him since early childhood! Eli probably sensed this but did the right thing, insisting that the boy hide nothing from him but tell him everything God had said.

Samuel did, and most likely, that hard decision strengthened the boy. Instead of depending solely on Eli as he grew up, Samuel grew closer and closer to God in his life-long dependence on the LORD.

©2013, Mary Harwell Sayler prayer-a-phrased 1 Samuel 3:1-21 from today’s Daily Bible Readings.

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Hannah praises God

Background: Every year Elkanah and his whole family took a sacrifice to the Temple and paid their vows and offerings to God, but after Samuel ‘s birth, Hannah didn’t go. Instead she promised her husband that, as soon as she had weaned the child, she would take him into God’s presence, leaving him in the Temple to pay her vow and offer him back to God forever.

When that time came, Hannah did just as she'd said. Filling a wineskin with wine and taking grain for bread, she brought her son to Eli the priest, reminding him how she had prayed for this child and God heard.

Then Hannah left her child with Eli.
She left him in the house of the LORD.
As promised, she gave her son to God forever.
She gave him as a present
in the presence of the LORD.

And Hannah praised God and prayed,

“My heart lifts up the LORD
for the LORD has lifted me.
I could speak ill of my enemies,
but I give word to the joy
of God’s salvation.

No one is holy but the LORD.
No one is sure and steady as our God.

Let’s not speak of our own pride,
nor let arrogance come from our mouths,
for the LORD our God would know
and weigh our actions.

The weapons of the mighty have been broken,
but we who are weaker rely on God’s strength.

Those who were full have sold themselves
for bread, but those who were hungry
have been filled.

The barren woman bears seven sons,
while the one with many children becomes
forlorn.

The LORD takes life and brings life.
The LORD brings us low and raises us up.
The LORD makes us poor or rich.
The LORD lets us go low then lifts us.

God raises the poor from the dust.
God lifts the needy from a burn pile
and gives them a place with the prince –
gives them a seat of honor.

For the LORD upholds the pillars of the earth
and sets in place the whole world.

God guards the feet of the faithful
but cuts the light where the wicked walk,
so, without God, no mighty ones will prevail.

The enemies of the LORD break into pieces
at the mere sound of thunder.

The LORD will judge the ends of the earth
but give strength to the leaders
whom God exalts and anoints."

Post Script: Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, and the boy stayed behind to minister to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest. While Samuel was still a child, God began to speak to him, and when he became an adult, he returned to his hometown of Ramah as a prophet, anointed by God.

©2013, Mary Harwell Sayler, prayer-a-phrase of today’s Daily Bible Reading in 1 Samuel 1:21-2:11.

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Hannah makes a vow to God

Background: In a time when people measured a woman’s worth by her ability to have children, Hannah had none. She wanted children too, but to make matters worse, Peninnah – her husband’s other wife – taunted Hannah, mocked Hannah, and incessantly bragged about own her sons and daughters.

As the years when by, husband Elkanah tried to make Hannah feel more loved by giving her twice as much as he gave the irritating other wife, but Hannah remained childless and sad. After a while, the sadness deepened until she could not stop crying. So Elkanah asked, “Why do you keep crying, Hannah? Why do you not even eat? Why are you sad all the time? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?”

Maybe he would have if she were his only wife! But Hannah’s grief became so strong, she went into the temple and burst into tears.

Bitterly she wept.
Distraught she prayed.
She pleaded to the LORD
and made a vow:

"O LORD of hosts, please
look on the misery of Your servant,
and remember me!

If You will give Your servant a male child,
I will give him to You as long as he lives,
and I will not give him wine or cut his hair.”

As Hannah prayed before the LORD, the priest
Eli watched, and when he saw only her lips moving,
he assumed Hannah was drunk! So Eli said,

"How long will you make a drunken scene?
Put away your wine."

But Hannah answered, "Oh, no, sir!
You’re seeing a deeply troubled woman,
and I have poured myself no wine or strong drink
but am pouring my soul to the LORD!
Do not regard your servant as worthless,
for I have only been pouring out my misery."

Then Eli answered, "Go in peace,
and may the God of Israel grant your petition."

Hannah responded, "May I also find favor in your sight."

Returning to her husband, Hannah took nourishment
and her spirits lifted. The next morning, they got up early
and worshiped the LORD then went back home to Ramah.

Elkanah remembered his wife Hannah,
and so did the LORD.
In due time Hannah gave birth to a son
she named Samuel to remind her
she asked of the LORD.

©2013, Mary Harwell Sayler prayer-a-phrased from today’s Bible Reading in 1 Samuel 1:1-20.