Daily Power-up: 1 Samuel 3:1-8
1 Now the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation. 2 And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see, 3 and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the Lord where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down, 4 that the Lord called Samuel. And he answered, “Here I am!” 5 So he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.”
And he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” And he went and lay down.
6 Then the Lord called yet again, “Samuel!”
So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 (Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him.)
8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you did call me.”
Then Eli perceived that the Lord had called the boy.
Personal Reflection: Samuel
I am going to begin this devotional with the last paragraph of my last devotional, of Feb 6, 2020.
Samuel was born, and when he was weaned, Hannah lent him to the Lord and he stayed with Eli at the temple. That would be the hardest thing to do. Each year when they came to sacrifice, she brought a little robe which she had made for him. God blessed her with three more sons and two daughters. Hannah was a brave woman who truly understood God’s love to her.
We all love the story of God calling Samuel as a young boy and his response to God, “Speak Lord for your servant is listening.” God told him of the judgement that would come to Eli and his family. Samuel was afraid to tell Eli, but was obedient when Eli asked him about it the next morning. The Bible says in 1 Samuel 3:20-21, “And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.”
Samuel was respected by Israel; however, his sons did not follow the Lord. In 1 Samuel 8:3-5 we read, “But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice. So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”” Even though this displeased God, he allowed Israel to have a king. Samuel was shown that the Lord had chosen Saul and Samuel anointed him as king. When Saul was rejected as King, it was Samuel who anointed David as King. Samuel died at his home in Ramah and all Israel was sad as they gathered there to bury him.
The one thing I had not noticed until I was reading the story today, is that Samuel was guilty of the same thing Eli had done, in that he did not bring up his children to honor God’s ways. Samuel was busy traveling from place to place to offer sacrifices and teach the people to obey God. Did he neglect his own sons and let them do as they pleased? It is because the people of Israel felt his sons were dishonest that they demanded a King. Let’s not be so busy that we neglect the spiritual training of our children and grandchildren. They are the only thing of we will be able to take with us to heaven!
Lynette Holm
is married to Ray, who she met in college at PUC. From there, many mission adventures started. Together they have traveled to 45 countries, with most of their mission work being done in African countries. They have 3 children and 6 grandchildren. Last year Lynette enjoyed reading her Bible through along with the comments on each passage in the Andrews Study Bible. She and Ray look forward to Christ’s soon return and spending an eternity with Him in Heaven.
Bible in a Year: Psalms 121, 123-125, 128-130
This Bible reading plan explores The Word based on the chronological order in which it was written, and is unrelated to the daily character devotions.
The Word of Promise audio Bible is used by permission. For more information and to purchase the complete audio Bible go to https://www.wordofpromiseapp.com/.
Psalm 121
God the Help of Those Who Seek Him
A Song of Ascents.
1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
Psalm 123
Prayer for Relief from Contempt
A Song of Ascents.
1 Unto You I lift up my eyes,
O You who dwell in the heavens.
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,
As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
So our eyes look to the Lord our God,
Until He has mercy on us.
3 Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!
For we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
4 Our soul is exceedingly filled
With the scorn of those who are at ease,
With the contempt of the proud.
Psalm 124
The Lord the Defense of His People
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
1 “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,”
Let Israel now say—
2 “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,
When men rose up against us,
3 Then they would have swallowed us alive,
When their wrath was kindled against us;
4 Then the waters would have overwhelmed us,
The stream would have gone over our soul;
5 Then the swollen waters
Would have gone over our soul.”
6 Blessed be the Lord,
Who has not given us as prey to their teeth.
7 Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers;
The snare is broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 125
The Lord the Strength of His People
A Song of Ascents.
1 Those who trust in the Lord
Are like Mount Zion,
Which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
So the Lord surrounds His people
From this time forth and forever.
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
On the land allotted to the righteous,
Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity.
4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
And to those who are upright in their hearts.
5 As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways,
The Lord shall lead them away
With the workers of iniquity.
Peace be upon Israel!
Psalm 128
Blessings of Those Who Fear the Lord
A Song of Ascents.
1 Blessed is every one who fears the Lord,
Who walks in His ways.
2 When you eat the labor of your hands,
You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.
3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
In the very heart of your house,
Your children like olive plants
All around your table.
4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
Who fears the Lord.
5 The Lord bless you out of Zion,
And may you see the good of Jerusalem
All the days of your life.
6 Yes, may you see your children’s children.
Peace be upon Israel!
Psalm 129
Song of Victory over Zion’s Enemies
A Song of Ascents.
1 “Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth,”
Let Israel now say—
2 “Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth;
Yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 The plowers plowed on my back;
They made their furrows long.”
4 The Lord is righteous;
He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked.
5 Let all those who hate Zion
Be put to shame and turned back.
6 Let them be as the grass on the housetops,
Which withers before it grows up,
7 With which the reaper does not fill his hand,
Nor he who binds sheaves, his arms.
8 Neither let those who pass by them say,
“The blessing of the Lord be upon you;
We bless you in the name of the Lord!”
Psalm 130
Waiting for the Redemption of the Lord
A Song of Ascents.
1 Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord;
2 Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive
To the voice of my supplications.
3 If You, Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with You,
That You may be feared.
5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
And in His word I do hope.
6 My soul waits for the Lord
More than those who watch for the morning—
Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the Lord;
For with the Lord there is mercy,
And with Him is abundant redemption.
8 And He shall redeem Israel
From all his iniquities.