DAILY HOMILIES #samuel

Zachariah was given a writing tablet to name his child. His relatives wanted him to name the child Zechariah. However, his silence helped him remember the Angel’s words: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer, has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.” (Luke 1:13-14).

Today’s celebration serves one purpose: to make us think of heaven and increase our longing for heaven. Don’t just be a Christian; strive to be an exceptional Christian; live according to the beatitudes, and follow what today’s Psalm says—generations after you will continue to celebrate you. Your name will be heard on the lips of many long after you have gone. This is what it means to live forever.

Saul did not fear disobeying God’s instructions because he felt greater than Samuel. David’s anointing was to teach Saul a lesson – to show him that the same anointing that brought him to glory could function in others. Regardless of your office today, never forget you are dust.

Obedience is difficult. It involves doing the will of another rather than yours. Sometimes, God’s instructions may not make sense yet; it is at such moments that our faith is tested. It didn’t make sense to Saul to destroy all those beautiful things he saw in the land of Amalek. Saul did not know it was a test.

The saying goes, ‘When the student is ready, the master appears.’ We must be ready for God with hearts positively disposed to listen like Samuel, who said: “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.” He didn’t say: “Please, stop disturbing me. Can’t you see I am trying to sleep?”

One word that perfectly describes unmerited favour is GRACE. It is God answering the prayers we never said, connecting us with people we never dreamt of, taking us to heights we never knew, and filling us with riches we never worked for. Your life can change in just one day.

Even if you are not involved, blame yourself. Ask these questions: “What if it is my fault that so and so happened? Where did I go wrong? What should I have done better?” These questions are particularly helpful if you are determined not to repeat the mistakes of others.

Prayer is not all about informing God of our needs and problems (as if He does not already know). Prayer is a relationship, a dialogue. As we talk, we must listen because God speaks to us when we come into His presence.

Hannah was willing to give something to God in exchange for what she was asking for. Her prayer was her vow. When we pray, we should not simply concern ourselves with what we are to gain from God; we should also be willing to give back something to God. Even in the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus told us that we should not expect forgiveness of our sins when we refuse to forgive others.

Dear friends, let us examine our hearts. Are there promises you made to God when things were rough for you, yet long after God heard your prayer, you refused to fulfil your part? Do you even remember God when things are going well for you? Are you currently going through a storm? Don’t worry; storms do not last forever. Keep telling yourself, “This too shall pass.” Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.

Today, we particularly remember the saints we know: fellow Nigerians, relatives, heroes and heroines. They may not have been officially declared saints, but we believe they are in heaven, given how they lived. That is why a day like this is set aside to celebrate not just the Europeans whose faces appear each time we type “saints” on Google but also the many Africans who may have been forgotten due to our poor record-keeping culture.

Consider yourself blest when you suffer injustice for God’s sake, when people insult you and maltreat you for choosing to stand by what is right, God is on your side. Do you remember Joseph? When he was tempted by Potiphar’s wife and refused to give in to her sexual advances, it seemed as though his world had ended. There is always a bitter price to pay for goodness. However, in the midst of all that may come your way, bear in mind that God never sleeps. The same Joseph that was so unfairly treated would eventually become Prime Minister of Egypt.