He “Continued Growing Up With Jehovah” – ??????????

[Bible Speaks]

He “Continued Growing Up With Jehovah”

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Samuel spoke. “I have grown old and gray,” he told the crowd. His whitening hair added weight to his words. He then said: “I have walked before you from my youth until this day.” (1 Sam. 11:14, 15; 12:2) 

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Though Samuel was old, he had not forgotten his youth. His memories of those early days were still vivid. The decisions he had made back then, as a growing boy, had led him to a life of faith and devotion to his God, Jehovah.

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Samuel had to build and maintain faith, although again and again he was surrounded by people who were faithless and disloyal. Today, it is just as challenging to build faith, for we live in a faithless and corrupt world. (Read Luke 18:8.) Let us see what we can learn from Samuel’s example, starting in his early boyhood.

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Let us rejoin him in that tense moment of addressing Israel at Gilgal. There, elderly Samuel reminded Israel of his faithful record of integrity. Then, we read: “Samuel called to Jehovah.” He asked Jehovah for a thunderstorm.—1 Sam. 12:17, 18.

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A thunderstorm? In the dry season? Why, such a thing was unheard of! If there was even a trace of skepticism or scoffing among the people, it did not last long. The sky suddenly darkened with clouds. The winds battered the wheat in the fields. The thunder let out its booming, deafening roars. And the rain fell. The response? “The people were greatly in fear of Jehovah and of Samuel.” At last, they saw how seriously they had sinned.—1 Sam. 12:18, 19.

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Not Samuel, but his God, Jehovah, had reached their rebellious hearts. From his youth to his old age, Samuel put faith in his God. And Jehovah rewarded him. To this day, Jehovah has not changed. He still supports those who imitate the faith of Samuel.

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https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1102013253#h=33