I AM with you, for ever

Greetings to our dear little children in the mighty name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. After being shut down in your homes for long times due to the pandemic, you are back again this year into your schools,  delightful in the Lord and growing in Him. May the Lord Jesus of Nazareth bless you in your studies and keep you in good health and joy.

There was this little boy who was playfully cajoled by his peers in the school, and he was afraid to face them. Next day he went with his father to the school, holding his father’s hands. As he was entering the school campus, he saw these boys shying away with a smile, seeing his father. This little  boy held his head high and all the fear went out of his heart that day !

If our father at home can give us this much strength, then imagine how much our Heavenly Father would do in our lives !  There was a little boy called “samuel” who was born to Elkanah and Hannah. He was born after much prayers and a vow to dedicate him all his life to the Lord, by his mother ( I Samuel 1:11). As an young child, samuel was dedicated to God to grow in the Lord’s house.  Those were the days prior to construction of Jerusalem temple. The Lord raised judges among the Israelites to govern them and protect them. The tabernacle of the Lord was at Shiloh and this is where our little samuel ended up. Eli was the priest and as  he was pretty old, his two sons were doing his job, and they did not do it well, which was displeasing in the eyes of the Lord. But little samuel was under the care of Eli who taught him the things of the Lord. Can you imagine how you would feel,  to be taken away from your father and mother even as you are a kid and put  in a strange place, where  sacrifices and worship to the Lord happens all the time. You are left alone , understanding almost nothing ! But little samuel was very obedient to Eli and respected him like his father and  master.

Those were the days when the word of the Lord was rare(I Samuel 3 :1).  It is written that the Lord called samuel one night by his name. “ It should have been close to midnight when it was pitch dark and it is written that the “lamp of God has not yet gone out” (I Samuel 3: 3). Eli  was very old, weak and with poor eyesight .   We do not know how little samuel felt lying down in the dark place, alone, far away from his home and the comfort of his mother. But as soon as he heard his name being called, he shot up like and arrow and went to Eli the elder and asked him why he called, which the old man denied. That night the Lord called samuel three times. Now the little boy samuel is yet to know the ways of the Lord. ( I Samuel 3:7). Only the third time, Eli realized that it was the Lord calling little samuel. So he told him to submit himself and wait.

Then something strange happened. The Lord came and stood there and called “samuel, samuel”. ( I Samuel 3:10). It was the voice of the loving Father ! Only at home and during our childhood we can hear our father or mother or our grand parents calling us like that ! Even though little samuel could not see the Lord, he immediately replied as the elder Eli had taught him : “ Speak, for your servant is listening. “ ( I Samuel 3:10). Then the Lord spoke to him about things normally one does not discuss with a child : judging the house of Eli and Israel. But when the heavenly Father himself is your  Teacher, there is nothing that you will fail to understand.

From that day on, samuel was interacting with God. And the Lord made him  Prophet over Israel. Samuel was the last judge and the  first prophet over Israel. As children you should understand that a prophet is an ordinary person doing extraordinary things. He proclaims only  what he hears from God. And when a prophet declares something, it will happen one hundred per cent. Because, the word is of the Lord through the prophet.

For it is said : “ The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground “ ( I Samuel 3: 19).

Dear children , as you hear and obey your parents, learn to hear the voice of God and obey Him. Read the word of God (Bible) everyday, pray and seek Him.

 And the Lord will surely bless you and make you into a prophet like samuel or a mighty man of God like Joshua.

“ Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest “ ( Joshua 1:9)

Prayer :

Dear heavenly Father, 

Please help us to hear Your voice and obey You. For ever and ever.

Amen.

God’s Love Missions family