A Good Role Model

When I was a child, one of my favorite Bible characters was Samuel.  I always looked forward to those times when the Sunday School Bible story was about the boy Samuel who served in the temple with the priest Eli.

As I have grown older, Samuel continues to be one of my favorites.  Perhaps it's because the story of his mother Hannah, and Samuel's birth, so closely parallel my own life story.

Perhaps it has something to do with the name.  My daddy's name was John Samuel, and that's my brother's name as well.  My grandfather's name was Samuel, and before him, Samuel was the name of my great-great-grandfather.  Samuel C. Austin was the first of that line of my family to come to these United States, back in 1840.

While those are interesting facts, it is Samuel himself who continues to hold my attention.

Just as when I was a child, I am drawn to the story of the little boy Samuel, serving in the temple, who hears the voice of the Lord and says, "Speak, LORD, your servant is listening."  (I Samuel 3:10).

I want to be like Samuel.  I want to be a good listener.  I want to answer when God speaks to me.  I want to hear what He has to say.

One of the great blessings of our cruise last week was gathering each evening in Conference Room A on Deck 2 for a time of worship and a timely word from our pastor.  On one of those evenings he drew our attention to 1 Samuel 12.  In this passage, Samuel is no longer a little boy, but an old man, with some good advice:

"Do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your
heart." (1 Samuel 12:20 NASB)

That was good advice then, and it's good advice now.  It's the way Samuel lived his life.  Samuel was one who didn't just talk the talk; he walked the walk.

Then Samuel says this:  "As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you."  (1 Samuel 12:23 NASB)

Samuel is a good role model.  For me.  For you.  For all of us who are followers of Christ.  This verse tells us that Samuel was a prayer warrior, and we certainly are in need of those in our world today!

Because of all the conflict in our world.  Because of terrorism and ISIS.  Because of conflict between political ideologies.  Because of bitterness.  Because of sin. Because our country is in trouble on so many levels.  Because there are people who need to know Jesus.

For all these reasons and more, we need to be praying as we have never prayed before. We need to be Samuels who will not sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray.

May God forgive our prayerlessness and may He raise up a generation of Samuels who will pray without ceasing!


"I call upon all in this beloved nation who know Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord to pray like we’ve never prayed before." –Don Wilton