It is easy to be overwhelmed by the bad news in the world. Most of our nightly news bulletins and newspapers are bad news, not good news. For thoughtful Christians it can be troubling – how is God working in all this?
That is what your average person in Israel thought in 1 Samuel 2:11-3
:1a. The priests are corrupt, after their own gain, just interested in satisfying their desires. Their father saw their sin but took no decisive action, placing his family over God. It looked like the nation had no hope. Then God sent a prophet to promise judgement on this family.
And in the background we keep getting reminded of little Samuel, a faithful boy in this corrupt place. The historian reminds us often – in 2:11, 2:18-21, 2:26 and 3:1 – that this boy is waiting there, and God will do something amazing through him. He might look small and unimpressive, but God is working in that place.
We need to be encouraged that God does act, even in the little insignificant things. What difference can I make in my workplace? In my family? In my city? You might not think it is much, but God is working, and in time we will see that in all these ways God can use even us to go great things to change people and cities. We need faith. God knows what He is doing.
(Based on ANPC Sunday teaching, 6 June 2010).