Press the play button to watch the video above or press 'more' to read the transcript of the daily devotion below. Please read 1 Samuel 1:21-28 (use your own Bible or use the link above to access the in-App Bible).

‘As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, that he may appear in the presence of the Lord, and remain there for ever; I will offer him as a Nazirite for all time.’ 1 Samuel 1:22

Hannah’ happiness seems complete as she has the baby boy in her life and stays back to look after him. To me as a mother, sending Samuel a few years later to live in the temple because of the vow she made to God seems cruel. But in the temple, where it was thought that God’s presence dwells, Samuel would be as near to the Lord as possible. As in Psalms 27 and 91, he would make the Lord his dwelling-place. In the law of Moses, a Nazirite was someone set apart and consecrated to the Lord to fulfil His will. In a sense this was the whole people of God, but much more was demanded of Nazirites.

Later on, as the child Samuel grew up in the temple, he was called by God at night and responded: ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’ He kept on listening to God, and was able to direct the people of Israel in His ways because nothing mattered to him but the fulfilment of God’s word. In the stories of these people, it is clear that they want to give their very best to the Lord. That is the purpose of their lives. Hannah speaks of lending the child to God as long as he lives, but really it is us who have things on loan from God in this world.

Could we, in a similar way, focus our best efforts on the building of the Kingdom of God? In our baptism we are all anointed and set apart for a special role in God’s plan of salvation for the world as followers and imitators of Christ. How would you give the best of your attention and your gifts to God? Are the things that you value also the things that God values most, or is there an opportunity to align your values more closely with God’s? Prayer is how we practise deep listening to God, and the way in which He changes our hearts. And as we attend to what we hear, God’s presence and His kingdom are made more visible.

Let us pray: Lord, we pray for the courage to hold nothing back from you so that we may see your kingdom come in our midst. Amen.

The Revd Anna Walker, Director of Whalley Abbey.