One Slow Learner

Lots of people have been named Samuel. A famous one was Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens.

My favorite Samuel is one from childhood. In 1 Samuel, chapter one, his story begins with a mother named Hannah. Her constant prayer was, “Lord, please give me a son, and I will give him back to you.”

Eli, the priest, observed her heartfelt prayers. One day he watched her lips move, but no sound came out. He misjudged her and accused her of being drunk.

Hannah protested that she was not drunk, but was praying out of great anguish. Eli said, “Then go in peace, and may God grant your request.”

God did answer prayer. Hannah gave birth to a son and named him Samuel, because “I asked the Lord for him” (1 Samuel 1:20).

Hannah kept her promise to give Samuel back to God. We don’t know his age, because in Bible times children could be weaned between ages two and five.

We do know, however, that Hannah introduced herself to Eli, reminding him of the time he had noticed her praying. Giving Samuel back to God meant he would serve under Eli’s guidance.

Hannah had three more sons and two more daughters, but she kept in touch with Samuel at the annual sacrifice. Each year she brought him a new robe.

Eli had two sons who were also priests. God saw their lack of respect for their father, for temple worship, and for God Himself, so He declared Eli’s priestly line would end.

God declared He would raise up a faithful priest, one in tune with His heart and mind (1 Samuel 2:35).

That faithful priest turned out to be Samuel. One night God called Samuel three times. Each time Samuel ran to Eli’s room and said, “Here I am” (1 Samuel 3). 

Finally, Eli realized God was calling. He said, “Go lie down. If He calls again say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’”

Every time I read this story I think, God, I want to be spiritually alert like Samuel---not a slow learner like Eli.