There are some interesting detail I am purposely skipping over in regards to Samuel’s parents and their relationship to each other. You should read it for yourself, since the topic and questions that come up are not really related to what I am discussing.

It is mentioned that Elkanah, Samuel’s father went up to Ephraim once a year to offer a sacrifice to the Lord. That sort of reminds me of those who only show up at church around Christmas and Easter. However, these were completely different times and there wasn’t a church on every corner like there is today. The prayer offered up by his beloved wife Hannah is what I want to look at. She wanted so bad to have a child and cried out to God to bless her womb to conceive. And he did. But her true worship, I believe, became her devotion to raise her son as a child of God. She did, and became a great servant for God’s kingdom.

My nephew asked me yesterday why I put God above my family. The answer seemed easy to me, but it was difficult for him to understand. I tried to explain how putting God first affects how I treat and respect my family and without God in my life, there is no standard of good to follow. If I chose to love my wife on my own or raise my children how I see fit, I would miss one of the biggest and best opportunities to show God worship with my daily life. By putting God first, His glory and His name, everything I do must bring Him honor.

I’ve made my share of mistakes and I fight everyday to become a better man of God. This passage is a reminder of how I should live my life and how I should raise my family. This does not mean in any way I love my family less. In fact, it really increases my love for them as I learn to love God more and more, that love overflows to my two boys and my beautiful wife. May I always be the kind of man that glorifies God by how I love my family.

NOTE: In case you were wondering and are keeping track, 1 Samuel 1:3, 19, and 28 are all included this blog since they are all of the same vein.