Samuel (children, modifed)

If you were going on a trip a long, long time ago, you wouldn't hear cars honking, or trains whistling or airplanes zooming. You would hear what Samuel heard when he took a trip one time with his mother.

Listen (donkey bray) he heard that---donkeys---lots of times---and this (horses galloping) for he lived a long, long time ago before there were any cars or airplanes or trains.

Would you like to hear about Samuel? All right. You see, for a long time Samuel's mother, Hannah, didn't have any children, not even Samuel. And she felt very badly. She wanted a baby boy so much she even cried sometimes.

Then one day she thought, "Why don't I pray and ask God to send me a baby boy? My! If he would I would be so happy, and I would give him back to God to be His helper when he grew big enough."

Well---that was a good idea. Because of course the very best thing to do about anything you want or need, is to pray about it. so one day when she was in church---they called it a temple in those days---she began to pray that God would let her have a baby boy.

Now when Eli, the one who took care of the church and taught the people about God, saw her praying, he said, "May the Lord let you have what you are praying for." Then Hannah went away glad because she was sure God would answer her prayer, and instead of crying she sang at her work, singing, "God hears and answers prayer."

Sure enough, after while, God did give Hannah a little baby. She named him Samuel, and she was very very happy----even when he cried! But she didn't forget what she had promised, and when he grew big enough she got him ready to go to the temple where Eli was, so that Samuel could be a helper there.

And so one day, away they went along the road to the big city where the temple was. The little donkeys with their heavy loads went plodding by and big horses galloped past with soldiers on them, and Samuel was whistling and happy because he was going to be a helper in God's house.

Well, it wasn't long before Samuel had learned to do many things. Eli was growing old and tired, and he needed a good helper like Samuel. After Samuel had been there awhile, one night something strange happened. He had gone to bed and he heard his name called, "Samuel, Samuel"---It was God calling but he didn't know it. He jumped up and ran to Eli's bed.

"Here I am. You called me," he said to Eli. But Eli said, "No, I didn't. Go back to bed." So Samuel lay down again. Then heard once more, "Samuel." Up he jumped and went to Eli. "Here I am. You did call me," he said. But Eli said, "I didn't call you. Lie down again." I guess he thought Samuel had been dreaming.

But when God called a third time, then Eli knew that it must be God calling, and he told Samuel what to say. So when God called again, Samuel answered quickly, "Speak Lord, your servant is listening." Then God told him what he wanted him to do, and Samuel obeyed. And he grew up to be a fine man---one whom God could depend on----because he always listened and did what God wanted him to.

Right now He says, "Listen, I stand at the door of your heart waiting to come in. If you will let me in, I will stay with you always, and help you."