It is every good Christian father’s dream to pass on a legacy of faith and godliness to his children. That is the ultimate desire of a faithful father. However, sometimes, no matter what the father does right, his children can turn out wrong. This was the case with Samuel. We read in 1 Samuel 8:2 that Samuel had two sons named Joel and Abijah. Samuel had appointed them judges over Israel (1 Sam. 8:1). It is possible these two boys had begun their adulthood with good character to have been given the great task and responsibility of being a judge over many people.
We learn in 1 Samuel 8:3 that things went wrong with Samuel’s two sons saying,
“His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice.”
These young men got greedy and fell into temptation. Wealth became their downfall. What a disappointment for Samuel. Here is a man who has spent his whole life walking with God and serving God’s children. Samuel’s mother, Hannah, had been a woman of faith, and she passed that faith on to her son. Samuel, in turn, strived to pass this faith on to his boys but failed. His boys decided to go a different way. What now? What is Samuel to do with this tragedy and disappointment in his life?
Read on. 1 Samuel 8:6 says,
“But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ And Samuel prayed to the Lord” (emphasis mine).
When bad things happen to good, God-fearing people, we must go directly to God! Samuel did the only thing he knew to do: run to his Heavenly Father. He poured out his heart in prayer. When things go wrong in your life, even though you’ve strived to please God, remember Samuel and go confidently to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).
So, when your grown children make ungodly decisions, pray. Pray first. Pray continually. Pray and trust. Pray for brokenness, not blessings. Pray that something in their life happens that will shake them to the core and come back to the Lord. If your children decide to go a different way, let God be God and pray your heart out.
He will hear and He will work on your behalf!
Steve Minor
Steve was born in Hollis, OK. Steve graduated from Oklahoma Christian with a degree in Youth Ministry in 1998. OC is where Steve met the love of his life, Stephani Jimenez, and married in 1996. The Lord gave them three amazing children: Micah (husband, Joel Turner), Mason, and Makenna.
Steve & Stephani have worked for congregations in Texas and Oklahoma. Steve is the founder and director of Legacy Family Camp each October to equip and strengthen families and the MIGHTY Men’s Mentoring Conference each January to train and strengthen men to be leaders.
Steve is the preaching minister for the Wylie Church of Christ in Wylie, Texas.
