Serving God in Decadent Times
And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word
of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
1 Samuel 3:1
Read 1 Samuel 2:12-18
In our Scripture reading and text, we are introduced to the child Samuel. His
birth had been an answer to prayer. Especially his mother received him as a
gift of God and consecrated him to the Lord’s service. First Samuel 3:1 tells
us that “the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli.” The Hebrew
literally says that he served the Lord. This means that his whole life was
dedicated to God’s service; it was his food and drink.
The church in Samuel’s day was very weak; Eli that priest was its leader,
and he also was weak. It seldom happened that a prophet who would be
given a message of rebuke from the Lord was raised during such times. “The
word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision”
(1 Sam. 3:1). And yet it happened. What a miracle that, though most of the
church was in decay, there were still some who worshiped the Lord.
Although church attendance is declining in our day as well, thankfully there
are young men and women who still want to serve the Lord. Do you desire
to serve the Lord? Be thankful to God if you have been brought up in the
church. Be thankful also if you have parents who have been taught by the
Lord and who pray for you.
Thought: We live in seriously decadent times. Do not forsake the heritage
the Lord has given you.
Psalter 425:5 (based on Psalm 105)
Jehovah’s truth will stand forever,
His covenant-bonds He will not sever;
The word of grace which He commands,
To thousand generations stands;
The covenant made in days of old,
With Abraham He doth uphold.
