In 1 Samuel 1 we see that the downcast Hannah loved God and, in His presence through prayer, went from great anguish and grief to joy even before she becomes pregnant with the child she vowed to give to God!  He remembered her and blessed her with a son and that event causes her to say in chapter 2  “My heart rejoices in the Lord!”  Samuel, God’s answer to Hannah’s prayer, is born to serve.  Our story for the kids takes place in chapter 3 when Samuel is about 12 and eager to obey!  That is why he listens, then hears, then responds to God’s voice.  Thank you for listening, hearing and responding to God’s call to serve in Eastview Kids!  We thank God often for you!:) 

Samson was not much of a hero! Is that why I relate to him? He was gifted with strength because God wanted him to save the Israelites from the Philistines.  But Samson made some bad choices. He chose not to obey his parents and he chose not to obey God.  He chose to be self-centered and took his strength for granted and only remembered to call on the Lord when he was in trouble. He was a little like a child who discovers, later in life, that their parents really did know what was best for them!  God’s commands are always for our own good!!   No matter what our individual strengths or weaknesses, we are powerful when we choose to trust and obey only God!                                           

Remember the Hugh Grant movie titled “Four Weddings and a Funeral?”  (Honestly, I don’t remember the movie, just that title!!)  Well the book of Ruth might be titled “Three Funerals and a Wedding!”  It’s a story of  determination (Naomi), commitment (Ruth) and integrity (Boaz) but most of all, of God’s perfect plan and his tender concern for his people. Is there a difficult circumstance you’re walking through?  God’s sovereignty, wisdom, and kindness often come in hard circumstances and many times are expressed through the kindness of others.  Ruth demonstrated this in word and deed when she told Naomi:  “Where you go I will go , and where you stay, I will stay.”  Praying that we too might be a sweet reflection of God’s goodness to those He places in our lives.