The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Samuel 3:1-5, “Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD before Eli. And word from the LORD was rare in those days, visions were infrequent.
2 It happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well),
3 and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was,
4 that the LORD called Samuel; and he said, ‘Here I am.’
5 Then he ran to Eli and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call, lie down again.’ So he went and lay down.”

It would be difficult to believe that Hannah, Samuel’s mother, had not heard of the licentious activities of Hophni and Phinehas when she promised her first-born son to the LORD. Yet, she was committing him to the LORD under the care of Eli, the priest.

I know from personal experience what a godly mother says to her only son when he is preparing to go to church camp. Hannah would not have said less to Samuel. Thus, she deemed his new home a safe place. He was in the LORD’s House in the LORD’s hands and under the watchcare of the LORD’s chief priest.

Samuel himself was blessed to be a servant of the LORD. Since the LORD’s Word was not frequent in those days, Eli himself did not understand that the LORD was speaking to Samuel. Thus, it took him being awakened three times to ascertain that the LORD was speaking to the boy.

We often sell children short in spiritual matters. If the truth be told, they are often closer to God, since they have not been so thoroughly exposed to the sins that besiege adults. In time, Samuel’s godly adulthood proved the value of his childhood relationship and fellowship with the LORD.

Our problems today arise not so much with ungodly children, as with ungodly parents, along with their lack of spiritual parenting skills. Don’t sell any kids short! Pray for them and live before them a godly, Christian life. They will surprise you, and will grow to be more like Jesus every day!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom