The halfbaked Bard

Boy Samuel wore only a linen garment Boy Samuel gets only a coat from his mom Every year when she comes to meet him No toys to play with No boys to hang around One thing happened for sure He grew up in the presence of the Lord He didn't have much to enjoy But he had more for the need of his life Eli's sons were filled with contempt But boy Samuel, filled with content Nothing to cherish and enjoy, not even his parents around But that manured him to grow up the mighty prophet he turned out to be Invest wisely, choose rightly What do you want in life? Enjoyment, merriment, materials that can give happiness? But abounding joy can be given only - By the One who fashioned you In Him alone, you would find life in its fullest When invested in the right things He grew up to be the man, he turned out to be He could have been a pious man like his father But boy Samuel being left with Eli in the temple He seemingly lost everything in his life. But gain he did, much more. Unless...

No one will succeed by strength alone  1Sam:2:9b Are you good at something? Do you feel talented? Or rather to put it in a spiritual way, Do you feel blessed by God in something? A natural talent? Blessed with a beautiful voice? Blessed with the ability to speak or write? Good to deal with children? Artistic? Graphical? Whatever you feel yourself is good at and excel, remember no one will succeed with strength alone. V:10 He gives power to His king He increases the strength of His anointed one. 1Cor:4:7 What do you have that you have not received.  Though theoretically we know this, does it sink to our hearts? All has been given  Nothing to boast about. Nothing to be proud of. Actually when in out "strength", we become weak, only then God will strengthen us further, for His name's glory. When I say, my strength is useless without you, admitting my dependance on God, then God's strength would be made perfect in us. 2Cor:12:10 My power works best in weakness...

1Sam:2:3 Stop acting so proud and haughty Don't speak with such arrogance For the Lord is a God who knows what you have done He will judge your actions. Cambridge definition of haughty is - seeming to consider yourself better than any other. Even a worldly dictionary considers haughtiness as something of the heart, need not be overtly expressed. Yes when it gets expressed, you use the terms like arrogance, hubristic, disdainful and the like. But the root of it all is the pride of my heart. I still remember myself as a schoolkid, trying to negate others opinion and to exert mine using the phrase "not like that". That was a norm in my life. When we have conversations, we fail to listen and try to speak always (giving suggestions and solutions) because of pride. We fail to receive corrections in the right sense because of our haughtiness and pride. When others are being blessed, is there a tiny jealousy sprouting in your heart? Our phones are filled with selfies....

He will belong to the Lord his whole life. This was Hannah's promise about her only child to the Lord. A child much awaited. A child for whom, much was prayed for. The concept that our children belong to the Lord, is extremely imperative. They are our children. But most importantly His children, and not grandchildren. We are stewards, we are signposts for them to God. We are not dictators. We are not task masters. We are examples. We are not rulers. Has God been interested in bringing us thus far? Will He not individually guide and direct them in the path to follow? We have to be examples for them to follow - good examples. We should not exasperate them - like hard taskmasters. Will they feel we are there to find fault with them always. Their disobedience and rebellion is not to frustrate us but to make us realise our fallen nature and hence intercede. Our venting out should not be out of frustration which comes out of the hurting of our pride that our child behaves odd...

May the Lord help you to keep your promise - 1Sam:1:23 It is the Lord who gives a desire for Him It is the Lord who enables you to give the promise And it is the Lord who helps you keep your promise So are we just puppets?  The choice was Hannah's. She could have very well given excuse not to fulfill her promise. The child is so small. This child is my only child. A little more let him be with me. God put it in her heart. God enables her to obey. But she chose to obey. To obey with her whole heart. We can also obey reluctantly. Reminded of that adamant boy who was asked to sit by the teacher after his punishment. Because of his resentment and adamancy he said "I am still standing in my heart." Whole hearted obedience, obeying with joy removes building up of resentment and anger in your life and it helps you to live your life with joy and gladness. and that comes  by trusting in the fact that God is good all the time. May God enable.

When you pour out your heart to God When you talk to Him as your friend When the answer is given as a promise Are you still sad? The Almighty, All powerful God Carefully listens to what you say The answer has come even before you pray Are you still sad? The answer, be it yes or no or wait All things happen for your good According to the plans to prosper you Are you still sad? Why are you still sad? Lack of faith that God will surely answer? Lack of trust that it will come to pass? Lack of belief that God listens? Why are you still sad? Fearful of whether God would answer the way I want? Worried of the paths He calls you to trod? Not confident whether that's what I desire? Cain's countenance fell Because sin was encroaching Hannah was no longer sad Because she had the confidence in God. When we pray, He is sure to listen Ask and you shall receive Seek and you shall find Knock and the door will be opened Do not be adamant to get your desire. Leaving things in His hand...

What is the level of your relationship with God? Where do you see yourself? In joy, being merrier and enjoying? In joy, thankful to God for His mercies? In sorrow, being melancholic, alone in a corner? In sorrow, pouring out your heart to God? In anger, shouting and showing resentment to all including God? In anger, humbling yourself, repenting? In pride, demanding blessings from God? In pride, realizing and repenting and returning? In sickness, playing with God the blame game? In sickness, taking up the pointer and reinstating with God? This shows the depth of your relationship with God (or the lack of it). Is it superficial or is it deep? Is it self centred or is it God oriented? Is it master-slave (or even farther) or Father-son? Hannah, when she was discouraged, her choice was to pour out her heart to God. And therefore there was a solution for her problem. If you sit in your own shell, brooding over your plight or enjoying yourself, what solution can it bring? Pour it ...