1st samuel 1:1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah"..... 3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.
This passage of scripture teaches us of faithfulness in times when things are not going too well, or when there is a lack of motivation to attend church services. In this instance, Elkanah and his family were observed to be making the yearly pilgrimage to the sanctuary at Shiloh, where the notoriously evil sons of Eli were then serving. At this time, above all others, the children of Israel had become utterly discouraged because of the sins perpetrated by the sons of Eli, and although complaint after complaint was made about the atrocities committed, yet Eli never took any proactive measures to have his sons removed from the services of the temple, and because of this, many of the Hebrews began skipping church, for in their minds there were too many "Hypocrites" serving there. Let's read:
1st Samuel 2:22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people. 24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord's people to transgress. 25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father".....
However, in one family across the nation, the evils committed by Eli's sons were not allowed to deter the faithfulness that should be manifested in times like those described, for if everyone in the church were to stop attending because of a preponderance of hypocrites, then no faithful members will remain to make a difference. And when there are no faithful members in attendance, the services of the sanctuary are left in disrepair and shambles, and before we know it, satan has won a stunning victory, by severely restricting the services of the church, whilst at the same time, robbing the congregation of spiritual nutrition, which then leads to more and more spiritual declension. Let's read:
1st Samuel 2:13 And the priest's custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came"... "with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand; 15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw. 16 And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force. 17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord: for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.
As Christians, there are times in our experiences when we may not feel enthusiastic about attending church services, because of the abundance of worldly-mindedness, or because of coldness on the part of fellow believers. However, we should always remember that it was Christ who died to save us from death, and as such, our faithfulness to His cause should never be based on existential negatives, regarding the services of the church, but we should rather consider that our commitment is first and foremost, to God, on an individual basis.
Let us therefore seek to emulate the faithfulness of Elkanah and his household in our own experiences, for God honors those who honor Him, and the faithfulness of a few, might be the agency by which The Holy Spirit might institute positive change for the better, and the greater good of all. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to stay the course with Christ, even during days of conflict and apostasy, for God is able to turn the tide of evil in favor of righteousness, according to His good pleasure. Let's read:
Hebrews 10:35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!