Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 Children: To be partakers in the concerns of Christ

   1 Sam 3: 1-12
V 10 “The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening”.

In this passage, we find ourselves in the first encounter that Samuel has with the Lord. It is a life changing moment that we get to witness through the Word. 
The passage begins with highlighting the uniqueness of the passage, and it is a very intentional start to the rest of the story. The passage specifically calls out how special it was to hear from the Lord during that season. When we try to set the context, we see that the setting before this passage is when there is sin that is widespread and the laws of the Lord have been disregarded. Therefore, the rarity of the situation makes sense and is explicitly mentioned. Additionally, this call was not made to the obvious choice - which was Eli, who had years of experience and wisdom and had known the Lord for a very long time. Instead, it was a young boy - a boy with no experience whatsoever, a boy who hadn’t known the Lord yet.
God Qualifies the Unqualified 
God calling Samuel, instead of Eli, reveals the mysterious ways of the Lord. He doesn’t look at the experience that his servant has, but instead the heart. We often think that we must have extraordinary gifts to do God’s will, especially if we are young. However, God calls the unqualified and enables them through his strength to fulfill his Word. He chose Samuel, knowing he didn’t know the Lord as much, but his heart was dedicated to the Lord. 
Unwavering Faith of a Child
Samuel receives a calling from the Lord, and his eagerness to serve is undeniable. Once he understands that it is the Lord that is calling for him, there is neither hesitation nor fear. The pure innocence and the unshakable faith of a child is the very aspect that God sees and therefore calls Samuel. God strengthened a child, one who didn’t know the Lord, to be the one that glorifies his kingdom. 
This short account in the Bible is a perfect example for the children and the young adults to know that God can strengthen them to be equal partakers in the concerns of Christ. In God's eyes, no one is big or small, qualified or unqualified. God has called each of us to glorify his Kingdom and that can only be done when we are as willing as Samuel. 
 

Prayer
Father, we come into your presence and pray for your blessing. We thank you Lord for your endless mercy and grace upon our lives. We pray that we are able to build a faith that is founded on the rock and cannot be stumbled upon. Just as Samuel was willing, help us that we may have the courage to answer your calling in all seasons of our life. Lord, you are the one that qualifies us in every aspect of life. Help us to never doubt the power of your guidance in our lives. Help us to always be stewards of our faith and accept you with our whole heart. All this we pray in your name, Amen. 
 
Thought for the Day
May we accept the Lord and his calling, just as Samuel did, with no fear or hesitation in all seasons of our lives. 
 Michelle Tomcy
Mar Thoma Church of Dallas Farmers Branch, Texas

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