Growing up in the Lord

Sending your children off to Christian boarding schools can be very difficult. Hannah sent Samuel off to the Tabernacle to learn about God.

But just as in Christian schools, or even home schools, there are good boys and bad boys. Phineas and Hophni were bad boys, but Samuel remained true to God.

Chapter 2 and 3 contrast these two responses to the word of the Lord. In spite of a bad context, Samuel grew in stature and in the presence of God and man.

The message of chapter three was not for Eli, but for Samuel. Eli already knew what God had to say, but Samuel needed to learn the answers to the following questions.

What does the voice of God sound like?
What does speaking the truth cost?
Is family more important than God's message?

Do we know the answer to these questions? Can it be said of us that we are growing in the Lord, or are we beginning to look a little like the bad boys?

God bless,
Pastor Wayne