BIBLE STUDY FROM CHURCH LEADERS - MARTYN ROWE
What a contrast!
“It’s black and white!”
You can feel, up or down; in or out of it;
totally together or falling apart; with it or not with it!
Phrases that highlight a marked difference
between things, situations or people!
If we read the story of Samuel in 1 Samuel,
chapters 1-3 we can see a few contrasting situations.
1. Hannah’s and Peninnah’s circumstances
2. Hannah’s and Peninnah’s characters
3. The frequency of the word of the Lord before
Samuel and with Samuel.
A few thoughts on these contrasts:
1. Finding ourselves in better or worse
circumstances than someone else does not make us better or worse than someone
else! They are merely circumstances! They do not determine who we are!
The thing that determines who we are is our character. We can develop
our character. Circumstances happen, how we deal with them is up to us.
2. Peninnah’s character clearly gloated (with maybe
a dose of jealousy, see ch.1 v5) in her better circumstance than Hannah’s,
using it to hurt Hannah’s feelings. (See ch.1 v6). Hannah’s character was one
who looked to God in her circumstances. Even in her ‘bitterness’ of soul,
anguish and tears (ch.1 v10) she looked to her Lord.
3. Ch.3 v1 tells us that,
“the word of the Lord was rare in those days, there was no widespread
revelation.”
We see in the previous chapters that Eli’s sons who were priests before
God and the people, were corrupt, not knowing the Lord (ch.2 v12) following
their own desires and not God’s!
Is it any wonder when seeking their own desires, their own satisfaction
that they heard very little of what the Lord was saying?
In contrast, we are told Samuel ministered to (served) the Lord, not
himself. Samuel learned, (and it took a few goes!) to recognise God speaking to
him, his heart’s response; “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
It may come then as no surprise that the contrast to;
“the word of the Lord was rare in those days, there was no widespread
revelation.”
Is;
“So Samuel grew and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall
to the ground.”
The word was rare – the words of Samuel.
Father God, may my heart be right before you, may I serve you and not
self. Help me to listen to your voice and speak what you speak. Amen.
Martyn Rowe
