Samuel was a prophet. A prophet was simply a messenger delivering God’s message to His people. Sometimes good messages and sometimes not so good. But the Lord always gave His people many chances to choose to do the right thing. Samuel is well known for serving God during the time God’s people chose to appoint a king to lead them. He always willingly shared God’s wisdom and council and was a well trusted, well respected leader. But Samuel’s great journey didn’t begin with nobility, titles, respect or even recognition. Samuel himself was an answer to prayer. Specifically, the prayer of his mother, who poured her heart out to God asking for a son. She promised the Lord that if He gave her a son, that she’d teach him in the ways of the Lord and he would serve God all the days of his life.

Faithfully, Samuel fulfilled his mothers promise, all the days of his life. When he was a young boy, His mother sent him to the temple to learn under the guidance of the High Priest, Eli. Samuel’s origin story becomes overwhelmingly relevant to our students when they hear of Samuel’s age when God first called upon him, speaking directly to him in the dead of night, sharing a message for his people. Samuel wasn’t yet old and wise, nor was he well educated or a seasoned priest. Samuel was still just a child. And God, the creator of our universe and most powerful being in all of existence, saw fit, a child, to be His messenger. Samuels career as a prophet began there, to what we can best guess was 12 years old. God doesn’t need the old, wise, experienced. The only thing Samuel had to offer, was his willingness to listen. God spoke his name and Samuel responded “Speak, for your servant hears you.”

Our students cling to the promise that there is no barrier to entry for God. His willingness to be a part of our lives never flickers, fades or dulls. He only waits for our willingness, and our listening ears.