"The child Samuel ministered." When you sing with feeling you do God's work. When you see some one without a hymn-book and you take one to the stranger, you minister. When you make room for a stranger to sit by you, then you do the work of the Lord. When you pray for the preacher, then you are of use. II. -- Boys' bedrooms are open to God. It was while Samuel was asleep that God stood at his bedside; but He is there before we sleep. He hears when wicked stories are told, and when bad deeds are planned in the dark. III. -- God does not wait for you to grow up before He calls. Perhaps you have heard Him call and, like Samuel, did not know the voice. When you felt that longing to be good, then He called. When you were at the grave-side, and felt awed and silenced by the coffin, thinking that some day people would look down and read your name, He called. When you were ill and felt unfit to die, He called. In your class at Sunday school, and while hearing the gospel preached, you were called. IV. -- Boys should answer the first call. Samuel was not like some lads who have to be called many times before they will get up. "He ran unto Eli." And in doing this he was the picture of the way we should make haste, and delay not to keep God's commandments. You will never be of greater value to God than now. Each day you delay to serve Him, you lessen your value in His sight. V. -- Boys may be taken into God's confidence. The Bible tells us, "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him," and a boy may fear God so as to know His secrets as Samuel did. If you will listen, as this lad did, you shall hear God speak. VI. -- Boys who do God's will shall have men do their's. See verse 20. The whole nation came to hear the mind of God from the boy- prophet, for we read in the first verse of the next chapter that Samuel's word came unto all Israel. IF DEATH CAN INJURE YOU |
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