Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today let’s find inspiration from someone growing spiritually against the odds.

In today’s scripture, 1 Samuel 2:21‭-‬26 (NLT), we read…
And the Lord blessed Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord. Now Eli was very old, but he was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel. He knew, for instance, that his sons were seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle. Eli said to them, “I have been hearing reports from all the people about the wicked things you are doing. Why do you keep sinning? You must stop, my sons! The reports I hear among the Lord’s people are not good. If someone sins against another person, God can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede?” But Eli’s sons wouldn’t listen to their father, for the Lord was already planning to put them to death. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew taller and grew in favor with the Lord and with the people.

Consider…
Some common excuses for failing in life include…

• I’m a product of my environment
• The deck is stacked against me
• These are impossible odds

Writing these made me think of Gideon’s initial excuse for avoiding God’s calling on his life. In Judges 6:15 (NLT)
we read…
“But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”

That sounds like…

• Poor environment
• Stacked deck
• and impossible odds
  …thinking to me

Or how about Moses’ response when God revealed His purpose for him. Exodus 6:30 (NLT)
says…
But Moses argued with the Lord, saying, “I can’t do it! I’m such a clumsy speaker! Why should Pharaoh listen to me?”

Moses responded like so many of us do when God tells us to do what we feel incapable of doing. I am not sure why we think God is such a poor judge of character and ability. I say that because although God tells us what He wants us to do, which means He knows that we can, we tell Him we can’t. What’s even more intriguing is that we tell our Creator why we can’t do what He specifically created us to do.

I agree with Isaiah 29:16 (NLT), which says…
How foolish can you be? He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay! Should the created thing say of the one who made it, “He didn’t make me”? Does a jar ever say, “The potter who made me is stupid”?

If you get nothing else from today, just be mindful to never question God! And remember God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

Speaking of qualifying the called, let’s look at today’s star, Samuel.

First, I remind you that Samuel was the miracle child of Hannah who was barren and cried out to God for a child. You could say Samuel’s life began against all odds.

Next, when Samuel was a young child, his mother gave him to the Priest Eli to raise him. I don’t think we fully appreciate the significance of a child being separated from their parents and raised by a stranger. Talk about traumatic. Talk about feeling like the deck is stacked against you. Samuel had every reason to feel abandoned and alone and cynical about life.

Another subtlety that is easy to miss, has to do with who Samuel grew up around. Although Eli was a respected priest by God and the people, his kids were horrible PK’s. In today’s scripture we read how they were taking sexual advantage of young women who were helping out in the temple. This reads like a reality television show that could be called…

• the unrighteous and unscrupulous
• or predators in the pulpit
• or snakes in the sanctuary

Bottomline, Samuel grew up in a disfunctional environment.

Yet, look at today’s scripture closer. It says…
Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.

And…
Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew taller and grew in favor with the Lord and with the people.

That’s such a powerful example for us to be inspired by. God can and will raise us to be what He planned from the beginning, regardless of the dirt He puts us in. You see like flowers, with God’s help we can grow up and sprout out of our dirty environments to bloom beautifully for Him.

In case you need reminding, Samuel went on to anoint Saul and David as Kings of Israel. David was Israel’s greatest King, and is the direct forefather of Jesus Christ our Lord. Samuel also served as spiritual advisor to both Kings. He provided guidance to help them lead the people as God desired. He’s also the person who pointed out that man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.

Samuel is the poster child for God

• Reshuffling stacked decks
• Helping flowers grow out of the dirt environments they were planted
• Making the impossible, possible.

Remember, when everyone else around only sees the worst in you, God only sees the best!

Today’s song is…
He Saw The Best In Me

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)