God’s Word Is Alive
Imitate Hannah, Imitate Her Son
IF YOU are a young mother, your children probably live at home with you. But look at Hannah and her boy Samuel. Hannah is bringing him to Jehovah’s tabernacle in Shiloh. This is where the priests live and serve God. Why is she bringing her son to live here? Does she not love her little boy?
Yes, Hannah loves Samuel. But when she was childless she prayed to Jehovah to have a son, and in her prayer she promised: “I will give him to Jehovah all the days of his life.” (1 Samuel 1:10, 11) So that is what Hannah is doing. She is giving Samuel to serve at Jehovah’s tabernacle for the rest of his life.
Hannah will miss Samuel very much. Yet she is willing to let him go because she loves Jehovah God and she knows that her son can be used here in Jehovah’s service. If you are a parent, are you willing to let your children be used in Jehovah’s service?
As Samuel grows he needs larger garments to wear. You can see Hannah bringing him the newest sleeveless coat that she has made for him. And when she visits each year you can be sure that she encourages Samuel to stay faithful in his service at Jehovah’s tabernacle. (1 Samuel 2:18, 19) Is not Hannah’s example of encouraging and helping her son to stay in the full-time service a fine one for parents today to imitate?
But Samuel’s example is a fine one for all of us to imitate. He was willing to be used in God’s service. Even though he may have been very homesick at times and wished he could be back home with his mother and father, he kept right on in his tabernacle service. Samuel also faced other tests of his faith, harder ones.
Look! the sons of the high priest Eli are taking those young women who serve at the entrance of the tabernacle and they are going to lie down with them and commit fornication! As Samuel was growing up such bad things were being done, but Samuel did what was right. (1 Samuel 2:22-26) Surely we are wise if we imitate his example and do not go along with the wrong course of those who may be around us.