Blessings and Responsibility

1 Samuel 1:12-18 And it happened, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth. 13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. 14 So Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!” 15 And Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.” 17 Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.” 18 And she said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

I have been reading first Samuel this morning. Reading of Hannah pouring out her heart to God; reading of her fulfilling her promise dedicating Samuel because God answered her prayers. I have been contemplating the failures of Eli, the priest, and the consequences that came from God as a result of Eli “withholding the rod” of punishment for the sins of his two sons. As you continue to read through Samuel you see the fulfillment of these things, and the gravity of our accountability to God will surely set in. I believe as parents, especially as fathers, we many times do not grasp the truth found in our accountability to God for how we lead, or fail to lead, our family before God. Every father will answer for not only himself, but for his family, his wife and his children.

So many times, just as in these biblical times, the priests and pastors forget their ministry at home. They become so wrapped up in the ministry God has called them to at church, they forget their first ministry at home. Eli had failed greatly with his two sons, and paid eternally for his misguided intentions. Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: 3 “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” 4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. So many of us want to be our children’s friends, but not the biblical parents that the Bible demands. The failures are playing out before us in a society of generational failures in this regards; lack of respect for authority begins at a very young age, in the home.

I surfed through social media this morning, seeing the “thankful” posts of so many. The majority of them were pics of our families, which are true blessings from God. With these blessings come responsibilities, and it reminds me of the parable of the talents in Matthew’s gospel. These responsibilities are God trusting us with blessings from God, children are many times answered prayers such has Hannah, a blessing and responsibility that she responded to justly, and had a great reward. Her barren womb produced five more children. Hannah likely will hear those words we should all desire to hear from Jesus, Matthew 25:21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’