1 Samuel 2:19 (NKJV)

“Moreover his mother used to make him a little robe, and bring it to him year by year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.”

Don’t abdicate your parental responsibility. Whether as a biological or spiritual parent, you have a critical role to play in the lives of some people. God has allocated some people to your care. No matter how busy you are, you need to find ways to “serve” and “build” those lives. Don’t be so busy that you forget that you have a “child” to take care of. Don’t go around serving the crowd to the detriment of your “child of promise.”

Hannah never forgot her Samuel. She knew that the Lord had given him to her as a responsibility. I am sure she regularly prayed for him. And whenever she had an opportunity to see him, she brought him a “robe” to cover him. It is significant that the Bible mentions the robe she brought and nothing else. We need to provide a “robe of covering” for our children. They need protection from the harsh weather of life. They need shielding from Satan’s antics. They need to be hidden away from the shame of repeated failure. Irrespective of how “big” they are, play your parental role. Every priest needs a parent, and many priests die prematurely or fade into obscurity because their parents failed in their duties. Your Samuel needs a robe. Your Samuel needs a motherly visit. Your Samuel needs nurturing. Not everyone is your Samuel. Once God has given you children, focus on them until they enter into all of God’s promises for their lives.