Bahan Alkitab: 1 Samuel 1-3
Tanggal: 02/08/2020
Ringkasan:
Background
God made a promise to Abraham that his descendants would live on Canaan, the promised land. After many years, God had fulfilled the promise and the Israelite lived in the promised land. God took care and protected the Israelite. But the Israelite often did not believe in God and disobeyed God.
However, this was different for a couple named Alkanah and Hannah. Both of them were faithful to God. They trusted and served God. Every year, they would visit the temple to worship God. Hannah has been longing for children but could not bear a child. She was very sad. Alkanah encouraged Hannah to continue trusting in the Lord. Alakanah went to the temple to pray and ask God for a son. She promised if she was given a son, she would give it back to God to serve God for the rest of his life. Her prayer was answered by God and God gave her a son named Samuel.
When children pray to God, sometimes God may not answer their prayer. It could be because it is not part of God’s plan. If it is part of God’s plan, He will answer and give it to you even though it may be long. Samuel was born because it is part of God’s plan and it was fulfilled. Similarly, we, the children, born of out this world not because of accidentally but as part of God’s plan. He has a special purpose for us and as children who believed in God, we learn to trust and obey Him.
When Samuel grew to be a young boy, Hannah kept promise to God and took Samuel to live with Eli, the priest, so he could love and serve God at the temple. God was with Samuel as he grew up.
One night, when Samuel was lying on bed, he heard someone calling his name. He went to Eli, the priest, thinking he was called by Eli. Eli told Samuel that he did not call Samuel and asked him to go back to bed. This continued for the third time and Eli finally realized it was the Lord who speak and told Samuel if he heard the sound again, he should say “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening”.
Samuel obeyed and when he went back to his bed, he heard the voice again and answered : “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening”. Samuel listened carefully as God speak to him. Next day, Samuel told Eli that God said his sons would be punished for disobeying God. God was with Samuel as he grew up and Samuel love and serve God until he was old.
As God had called Samuel, God also call children not by the voice directly but through the bible. When children listen to story of bible being read out, they should know that they are listening to God’s words. Samuel served God because God was with him and give him the strength to do so. God promises to be with us and he gave us the strength to trust and obey him.
Ayat Hafalan:
1 Samuel 3:19a
The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up