Scripture
1 Samuel 2: 35 “Then I will raise up a faithful priest who will serve me and do what I tell him to do. I will bless his descendants, and his family will be priests to my anointed kings forever.”
Observation
God raises up the priest. God raises up his ministers. We do not jockey for position. We do not choose to enter the ministry, we are called by God. Samuel was a priest to God first. His first responsibility was to serve God, then the people. He would stand before kings but it was a greater honor to stand before God. Samuel’s main duty was to “do what I tell him to do.” Obedience was the key to Samuel’s success. Eli’s sons were removed as priest because they disobeyed God and would not repent. God said now I will raise up a priest who ministers to me first and obeys my instructions. That is the kind of priest God desires.
Application
My first responsibility is to minister to God. I cannot adequately minister to people until I first stand in God’s presence. As I minister and bless God, I will receive the power and authority to minister to God’s people.
My first duty is to obey God. I must be committed to doing what God says to do. The cycle of success is: depend upon God, seek God, hear from God, obey God, persist in obedience, achieve in God’s power, return all the glory to God. Obedience is a key to success. The pathway of disobedience never leads to God’s blessings.
Prayer
Father I bless you. I minister to you. I am your servant. I pledge my allegiance to you. You are a great and mighty God. I ask that I will hear your voice. Reveal your will to me then give me the courage and love to obey. I want to be a faithful priest. I want to be like Samuel and not Eli’s sons. Make me faithful and loyal to you. I want to finish well.
