Sunday School

This morning in Sunday School, we were in I Samuel 2. It's the story of where Hannah weans little Samuel and takes him to the temple to be raised by the priest. Can you imagine?? This must not have been as uncommon as it sounds. I mean...new priests had to be raised up each generation. And unfortunately, Eli wasn't raising up stellar priests at his own house. What faith Hannah must have had!!! To give her son, her only son, to a priest who wasn't doing such a fine job as a father. And the whole country knew he wasn't doing such a fine job.
But of course, Hannah gave Samuel to GOD, not really to Eli. Still. It took faith.
I love Hannah's story. It's also the story of redemption. If you study it out, Samuel was from the clan of Korah, descendants of Levi. This was the same clan that challenged Moses & Aaron. They were priests who came to these leaders and said, "Who chose you to lead? We're as holy as you are!" And as a result of their arrogance, the earth swallowed them up. (After a bunch of other things!)
And then there's Hophni & Phineas. Eli's sons. They were from a godly clan, also of the tribe of Levi---the tribe set aside by God to be priests. And these guys were unholy---doing things God had exactly told them NOT to do. They were cheating, stealing and prostituting.
A word that came to my mind this morning as Carl taught us is this: It really doesn't matter who or where you come from. Your heritage is unimportant. What matters is that your heart is wholly after God. It matters that you obey Him. And if you do, great things can happen. God can redeem even the worst situation. And in turn, you can become a "redeemer" of a people, a nation, a family line.
Father, keep my heart. I don't want to be like the Korathites or Hophni & Phineas. I want to be set apart. I want to hear you when you call me like Samuel did. I want to chase after you. I want to obey you. Keep my heart, Father. I love you, Daddy! In Jesus' name, Amen.