Perhaps the greatest aspect of Samuel’s life is prayer. And this passage is famous for good reason. The people cherish Samuel’s prayers. Do you have people in your life that you ask to pray for you? What a difference it makes to know that people are praying for our leadership, discipleship, and families. Samuel promises to pray and declares that it would be a sin not to. Be honest, are you praying regularly for the people you shepherd? We can preach, delegate, serve, and study the Bible all day, but if we fail to pray, we fail as leaders.
Is your life full of prayer? Do you pray with intention and depth or do you just have “filer” prayers? Do the people in your church pray for each other? In church, right on the spot, and throughout the week? Let’s examine Samuel’s heart for prayer to examine our own.
Israel’s great judge and prophet, Samuel, is given an impossible task. The people ask him for a king, which disappoints God, who was the only leader they needed. The people looked to the nations around them instead of being content with what they had as God’s chosen people. Amazingly, God grants their request. He gives them Saul, who is just like the kings around them – terrible.
In this back and forth Samuel drops great pieces of leadership wisdom. First, he tells the people that even though they’ve broken God’s heart, he will not abandon them. It’s so important for leaders to speak truth that still gives people the perspective of God’s everlasting presence, even when we mess up. This gracious truth comes with a wise warning: “Do not turn aside after useless things that cannot profit or save.”
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Topics Discussed
- Hannah’s Story and Faith
- Hannah’s Prayer and the Nazarite Vow
- Samuel’s Unique Calling and Dedication
- Hannah’s Prayer of Praise
- Corruption in the Priesthood
- Samuel’s Readiness and Obedience
- Yahweh’s First Revelation to Samuel
- Samuel’s Rise as a Prophet of Yahweh