There were certain outliers in the life of the prophet Samuel that helped to propel him into spiritual greatness. To start with, Samuel never had to overcome a godless upbringing or lukewarm Christianity. He was raised in God’s presence and for His glory.
Because Samuel was dedicated to the Lord by his parents, he was given the best opportunity and advantage in life that a child could have.
We also should dedicate our children to the Lord.
1.) Dedicate in Prayer.
1Samuel 1:11, And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
Pray with the Realization that your Children Come from God.
Samuel’s barren mother Hannah knew that God was the source of children. She prayed a vow committing to rearing her child for the Lord. Hannah let the Lord know in prayer that He could trust her with the heritage of a child.
Psalms 127:3, Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
Pray with the Understanding that You Are Rearing Your Children for God.
“I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life…” Hanna gives us a prayer principle: you can have what you desire in prayer if you give it back to God. Samuel would be God’s first and Hannah’s second. She was going to rear Samuel for God’s pleasure and not for her own gratification!
Hanna also gives us a parenting principle: if you raise your children for your own pleasure, you will lose them in the end; but if you raise them for Christ, you will have them “for ever.” (Luke 9:24; I Samuel 1:22)
1 Samuel 1:22,But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever.
1 Samuel 1:27-28, For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.
2.) Dedicate in Upbringing.
1 Samuel 2:21b “…And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.” Samuel developed in learning, discipline, and discernment “before the Lord.” John the Baptist and Jesus grew in the same way: “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit,” (Luke 1:80), “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” (Luke 2:52)
Samuel Grew Up with Godly Examples.
“We should give our children the impression that the most wonderful thing in the world is Christianity; and that there is nothing in life comparable to being a Christian.” – Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones
Samuel was given the testimony of two godly parents, the mentorship of a godly priest, and the influence of living in God’s house. One of the first parental duties in child rearing is being a godly example. It is also very important to surround a child with godly examples. Before children can ever read one verse of Scripture, they read the behavior of the adults that are around them and from that develop their first impressions of who God is.
“…thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life” (II Timothy 3:10).
Pastor Timothy was the Apostle Paul’s “son in the faith.” He knew Paul’s “doctrine” (what he taught); but, just as important, he knew Paul’s “manner of life.” Timothy’s success in the faith, like Samuel’s, could be attributed to the fact that he was given a godly example to follow.
Samuel Grew Up Under Purposeful Training.
1 Samuel 2:18, “…Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.”
1 Samuel 3:1a, And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli.
Can you picture the little boy Samuel in the tabernacle girded in linen and priestly robes by Eli the High Priest? Can you hear as the men of God in the tabernacle guide Samuel in priestly work, all the while instructing and explaining to him the meaning behind this work. A mighty man of God was being formed one day and one lesson at a time. Little Samuel was being “brought up in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord!” (Eph. 6:4)
Notice an important fact in Samuel’s upbringing — he was serving God before knowing God. In I Samuel 3:7, it says he “knew not the Lord.” Samuel was being taught by example and instruction about Christ before he personally knew Christ! Children who joyfully serve the King of Kings with their families in the house of God before they personally know the Lord in salvation have a distinct spiritual advantage in life.
Proverbs 22:6, Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
In contrast to Samuel’s upbringing, consider Eli the High Priest’s natural children, Hophni and Phinehas.
1 Samuel 3:13, “For I have told him (Eli) that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not”
Eli’s sons had Eli’s example but did not have his training and discipline. A child dedicated will have both example and training.
Proverbs 29:15,The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
3.) Dedicate in Following God.
Samuel was in a position to hear God’s voice.
Samuel grew up in the house of the Lord, a protected place where his tender heart and mind were safe from the vices of the world and where his fertile mind could be “diligently taught” the Word of God (Deuteronomy 6:7).
2 Timothy 3:15, And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Samuel was instructed to listen for God’s voice.
1 Samuel 3:7a, Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD,
Eli knew that God was dealing with Samuel’s heart. Samuel was instructed by Eli as a little boy to answer God’s call and to surrender his heart to the Lord.
1 Samuel 3:8-9, “…And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.”
A child who is dedicated to the Lord will be taught (like Samuel) that God will deal with his heart personally in salvation and spiritual service and that he must be ready to follow God.
Dedicate your child in prayer, in training, and in following God.