In the second chapter we have the growth of this dear young soul.
“But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.” vs. 18. Wasn’t that a happy service!
You do not have to wait until you get to be a man or woman to serve the Lord. You may start that blessed service in very tender years, though perhaps the character of it will not be such as it will be when you get your growth. You will not stand on the street and preach the gospel, you will not fill a formal position of that kind, but in how many things you can serve the Lord even as a child!
Samuel’s service to the Lord was characterized by being girded with a linen ephod. That young boy’s service to the Lord was characterized by personal righteousness – separation from evil. What a privilege in an age like this to live a life of service girded with a linen ephod!
The poor ungodly world around knows nothing of it. It is utterly foreign to it. It is your privilege and what a sweet and rare privilege it is! The spirit of the world today is well expressed in a great flaring poster I saw recently:
“Why be good?” The very question itself insinuates the answer:
“There is no use being good.” That is the spirit of the world.
But dear young Christian, if you are girded as Samuel was with a linen ephod, what a different life it will be for you. Practical, personal righteousness in separation from everything that is evil. What a privilege to live a life like that in a sinful, godless age such as we find ourselves in. Your parents are throwing about you every possible hedge of protection they can, and are shielding you just as far as it is in their power, but you cannot always stay behind that. There is coming a time when you will have to assume responsibility for yourself. Will you continue in this path of separation from the world? What a privilege if you can do as Samuel did!
“Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year.”
Now young people (I speak to those who are still under authority), sometimes we get the feeling that we are quite self-sufficient. That is quite characteristic of adolescent years, but I trust none of those to whom I am speaking, will ever reach the stage in your experience as young people, when you think your father and your mother cannot give you a little helpful advice. I hope you haven’t reached the place when you consider your spiritual judgment superior to that of father and mother.
Samuel’s mother made him a little coat, and each year took it up and presented it to him. I suppose it would have to be a little larger from year to year. So the advice and counsel you receive will be of a broadening and enlarging character as you grow more mature. But little Samuel didn’t cast off the coat and say,
“Mother, I don’t like the looks of that coat; they don’t wear them that way now; that is two years behind the time.”
No, he just received it from – year to year, and as he thrust his little arms into it, he saw in each stitch the expression of love and care of his godly mother, and with what pride and satisfaction, he wore that coat throughout the coming year. That speaks of fatherly and motherly counsel of godly, praying parents. May you not get beyond this.
We get quite consistent growth in the 26th verse:
“And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favor both with the Lord and also with men.”
That is quite a healthy Christian life: steady, quiet growth. What we want is that development of Christian character in keeping with Scripture. Go on learning from day to day what you have in Christ, growing up into the knowledge of Him as we have in the Word of God.
(To be continued)