Ministering without Knowing

1 Samuel 2:12,18; 3:7

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Is it really possible for anyone to serve God but not knowing Him? 1 Samuel 2 and 3 answer YES. The sons of Eli the high priest during that time were serving with their father as priests also and ministering to the people of God and yet the account says, they did not know the LORD (2:12). In addition, Samuel at his young age was wearing a linen ephod already which is dedicated to the priestly work only but 3:7 said, he did not know the LORD, not was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.

How fascinating it is that they did not know the LORD for it is a fact that as an Israelite specially born to be a priest of the LORD, they are trained to know the Word of the LORD, His character and deeds even at their very young age as a son. This is the biggest challenge that every Christian homes is facing, we let our children know that there is GOD, Jesus is God and He loves and cares for us so much and yet they grow as if they do not know the God that they are believing. They started to hear and memorize the Words of the LORD and yet living their life the way they wanted it be and far away from what the LORD is really want for them that brings Him glory.

Hophni and Phinehas, sons of Eli and young Samuel grew in the temple under the supervision of Eli, always reading and hearing the Word of the LORD however, these three young men did not really know the GOD that they are serving though, the gap between the sons d Eli and Samuel are really obvious. Hophni and Phinehas lived their priestly lives against to what the LORD really desire for His people for their practices were abhorrent in the eyes of the LORD (2:13-17) and Eli knew them nevertheless he constrained himself from disciplining them so in the process of time the Lord let them die in the battle as a punishment of their sins and disobedience. On the contrary, Samuel though mentioned that he did not know the LORD yet that time (3:7) lived his life acceptable to GOD and obedience to His Words.

It is striking that we can serve God but not knowing who really is in our lives. This is not what we want for our children specially if we are ministers of the LORD. We want our children to know HIM and not only cognitively but most of all relationally. This is what it means when the Bible say they did not know the LORD, of course as we already mentioned above we can know GOD by reading and hearing His Word daily or weekly however to know HIM intentionally as what to make Him happy, sad, rejoicing or angry is the most important of all after all GOD is always at His best to give us of what makes us joyful, peaceful and liberated. To serve Him is a great privilege that we can do but to relationally know HIM as not just GOD of our lives but also as our Holy Father who cares for our sanctity of living before Him and before men.

This is what the LORD is requiring of us when it comes to knowing Him. Let us know our GOD as Father who is holy and concern so much with our holy living also that is pleasing to His sight and glorifying with others. As parents, let us instill in our children’s hearts that to know the LORD is having a personal relationship with Him, to love Him personally and voluntarily with the intent to obey His Words all the days of their lives.

2:12 Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the LORD.

2:18 But Samuel ministered before the LORD, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod.

3:7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.