Have You Heard the Story of My Life?

My mother, Hannah, had been sad for many years because she had no children. She lived in the same house with another woman who upset her by saying: God did not give you any children, but He blessed me with many. God has forgotten you and does not love you. That is why He has not given you any children.

It was hard for my mother to believe that God had forgotten her and did not love her. These thoughts often made her cry.

Every year, my father and mother would go to the House of the Lord in Shiloh to worship, give offerings, and pray. My father would give my mother two portions of meat during meal times, because he loved her and wanted to lessen her grief. But he was unable to console her, because only God Himself can comfort the soul.

One day, my mother could not eat anything because of her grief. She said to herself, I want to bring all my sorrows to the Lord.

She went into the House of the Lord, knelt down, and prayed: O Lord, hear my prayers and do not forget me! Bless me with a child, and I will do my best to rear him. When he is grown, I will return him to You to become Your servant. This I promise.

My mother prayed quietly for a long time. No one could hear her but God. The high priest sat at the entrance of the Lord’s House watching her for some time. He thought she was a bit strange, for her lips moved but her voice could not be heard. Could she be drunk, he wondered?

He came near my mother, scolding her: What a shame! How can you come drunk into the House of the Lord!

My mother looked up to him with tears in her eyes and said: No my lord, I am not drunk, but a heavy burden in my heart has grieved me, and I brought it to the Lord in prayer.

The priest felt sorry for what he had said. He encouraged her: Go in peace. The Lord will answer your prayer. My mother left the Lord’s House and returned to my father. Her grief left her, because she believed that the Lord would answer her prayers and not disappoint her.

After one year, the Lord answered my mother’s prayers: I was born. My parents named me Samuel, which means, The Lord has answered our prayers.

My mother did not forget her promise to the Lord, and she treated me as though I were not hers, but God’s. For many years, she did not travel with my father to the House of the Lord in Shiloh but stayed in our village to take care of me. She told my father: I will return to Shiloh when Samuel grows up. Then I will take him with me to the House of the Lord, and he will remain there to serve the Lord.

My mother would tell me about these things, and I waited expectantly. After many years, she took me with her to Shiloh. On this journey, I walked at her side, wearing a beautiful garment. I had become a healthy young boy, and it was my wish to become a servant of the Lord in His Temple.

We went to the high priest, Eli, who had grown old and could not remember my mother. She told him, Many years ago I came to this temple and asked the Lord to bless me with a child. Here is the boy whom the Almighty has given me. Today I place him in the hands of the Most Holy to be His servant.

Eli took me as a servant in the temple. My mother was not sad but glad. Her son had become a servant of the Lord. Her joy was so strong that she sang a thanksgiving psalm to the Lord, thanking Him for His mercies. Then she returned home in peace.

Each year, my parents came to the Lord’s House in Shiloh, and we would spend time together and be happy. My mother always brought a new and beautiful garment with her that was just my size.

I was happy and thankful to be in the service of the Lord, and I helped the priest, Eli, with all my heart. At night, I slept in my small room which was near his.

Eli had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas. They were corrupt priests in the Temple, and all they did was evil in the eyes of God. The people did not like them, but feared them.

I wanted to become a faithful servant of God, to obey and love Him with all my heart. But it was not easy for me to resist evil and walk in righteousness beside Eli’s evil sons.

But the Lord was with me and gave me strength to do His will. I experienced God’s blessing in my life, and because of this, the people put their trust in me.

In those days, God used to talk to His people through His prophets and His precious Word. But there was no prophet at this particular time, through whom God could reveal His will.

One night, I was awakened by a voice which said, Samuel, Samuel! I got up from my bed and went to Eli’s room and said, Here I am. He answered: I did not call you, my son. Go back and lie down.

I heard the voice calling me again: Samuel! Samuel!

I got up quickly, because I was sure that I had heard the voice again. I hurried to Eli, but he told me once more that he had not called me.

I did not understand what was happening and went back to my room. As soon as I had laid down, I heard the voice calling me for the third time: Samuel! Samuel!” I jumped out of my bed and went to Eli and said to him, I am sure you called me this time.

The priest then understood where the voice was coming from. He told me: It is the Lord who is calling you. Go back to your room and when you hear the voice again, answer Him and say, Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.

I went back to my room and was afraid to hear the voice again.

My heart trembled, and I wondered why the Lord would want to talk with me, a boy? This would be the greatest thing that could happen in my life!

Then the voice of the Lord came once again: Samuel! Samuel! I answered: Here I am Lord. Your servant is listening.”Then the Lord talked to me, a young boy. It was an amazing experience to hear the voice of God. But what the Lord told me was sad.

The Lord told me that He saw the wickedness of Eli’s sons. They continued to sin, although He had warned them about their evil behaviour. They did not give heed to God or their father; therefore, He would have to punish them. He told me that Hophni and Phinehas would die on the same day and that their father Eli would be punished with them, because he did not carry out his responsibilities in the Lord’s House or in his own home as he should have.

After the voice of the Lord had ceased, everything was normal again. But I could not sleep after what had happened that night. I remained on my bed and was worried about having to tell Eli the sad message the next morning.

When morning came, I got up and went to open the doors of the Lord’s House as I usually did. Then I heard Eli calling. He asked, What did the Lord tell you?” I had to tell him all that the Lord had said. Although the sad message was hard to tell, I did not leave out any part. Eli sighed with remorse and said: He is the Lord. Let Him do what is good in His eyes.

After some years had passed, Hophni and Phinehas died in war. When Eli heard about it, he fell off his seat backwards, broke his neck, and died..

The people saw that the Lord was with me, so they listened to me and obeyed me. The Lord did not speak to me only once, but many times, and I obeyed Him immediately. Thus, I became a prophet and judge over my people.

I did not plan my own life. I became the servant of the Lord, because of my mother’s promise. I accepted this, because it was the will of God for my life.

Dear reader, do you also want to know the will and guidance of the Lord in your life? Accept God’s call which is given to you in the Holy Bible and obey Him. He will bless you with an abundance of mercy all the days of your life.