“My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!” Psalm 121:2 (NLT)
1 Samuel 3
Hannah was sad because she couldn’t have a baby, so she prayed and asked God for a son. God answered her prayer, and she gave birth to a baby boy named Samuel. When Samuel was a little older, Hannah kept a promise she had made to God and gave Samuel back to Him. Samuel learned about God and served Him with a priest named Eli in the tabernacle. A priest served God and took care of the tabernacle, the special place where people worshiped God.
While Samuel was sleeping, God called his name. The first two times, Samuel thought Eli was calling him, so he ran to Eli. Eli told Samuel to go back to bed because he hadn’t called him. When God called Samuel a third time, he ran to Eli again. Eli realized it was the Lord calling Samuel. He told Samuel to go back to bed and, if someone called again, to say, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” Samuel did what Eli told him to do, and God gave Samuel an important message.
Eli’s sons were also priests, but they were disobeying God. God had warned Eli, but he let his sons continue to disobey God. So God was going to punish them. Samuel was afraid, but he told Eli everything God had said. Eli didn’t like hearing this, but he knew that God was doing what was right.
Even when Samuel was afraid, God helped him. Soon all of Israel knew Samuel as a prophet. A prophet is a person God chooses to share His truth and important messages with others. Samuel faced many difficult situations, but he trusted God, and God always helped him.
Whenever we feel afraid to do the right thing, we can remember how Samuel trusted God. We can trust and listen to God by reading the Bible and talking to Him through prayer. He will always help us.
The most important way God helped us is when He sent us His Son Jesus. Our sin separates us from God. Because He loves us so much, God sent us Jesus to save us. When we tell God we’ve disobeyed Him, believe that Jesus died and came back to life, and choose to follow Him, we can be saved!
What can we learn from Samuel’s story about listening to God?
Samuel trusted God. What are some ways you can trust God more?
Thank You, God, for always helping us. We know that You are always with us and that You can do anything. We love You, and we want to listen to You and put our trust completely in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!” Psalm 121:2 (NLT)
1 Samuel 17:45-49
David was a young shepherd. One day, a nine-foot-tall Philistine warrior named Goliath challenged the Israelite army to send someone to fight him. If Goliath won, the Israelites would become Philistine slaves. If the Israelite won, then the Philistines would become Israelite slaves. The Israelites were afraid, but David was not.
For forty days, Goliath teased the Israelites and told them to send one of their men to fight him. David’s three older brothers were soldiers in the Israelite army, and while David was bringing them food, King Saul had David brought to him.
David told King Saul that he would fight Goliath. Saul said that David was too young and small to defeat Goliath. But David told Saul about the times God had helped him fight off lions and bears while protecting his sheep. So, King Saul agreed to let David fight Goliath.
Saul gave David armor and a sword, but David told Saul that he couldn’t use it. He picked up five stones, a sling, and his shepherd’s staff. Goliath made fun of David, but David didn’t back down. He told Goliath how powerful God is and that he would defeat him. As Goliath moved closer, David ran to meet him, slung a stone, and hit Goliath in the forehead. Goliath fell to the ground. God helped David defeat Goliath!
The Philistines didn’t love or obey God. They worshipped false gods and hated the Israelites. Using a small boy and a stone, God showed that He is the most powerful. He did this to show the Philistines and Israel that He is the one true God, and that He would protect His people. Because David trusted that God would help him, God showed His incredible power to the Philistines and all of Israel.
God never asks us to do anything He won’t help us with. The biggest problem we could never solve on our own is our sin, which separates us from God. Because He loves us so much, God sent Jesus to save us. When we tell God we’ve disobeyed Him, believe that Jesus died and came back to life, and choose to follow Him, we can be saved. We can remember that the God who helped David fight Goliath will help us. God promises that He will always be with us and help us with the things we can’t face on our own.
David remembered how God had helped him before. Why is it important to remember the ways God has helped us?
What are some ways that God helps us?
Thank You, God, always helping us. We know that You are always with us and that You can do anything. We love You, and we want to put our trust completely in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.