“And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.” (1 Samuel 7:15)

•. A long life spent in service.

With Samuel there was no relaxing from his apostleship. He judged Israel all his life. God give to us such a testimony, as we near the close of our pilgrimage. A whole life spent for God is a whole life saved unto the age to come.

•. A long life spent in faithful judging.

As a judge Samuel stood above reproach. In his old age he charged Israel, saying, “‘Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? I will restore it to you’” (1 Samuel 12:3).

Here was a man who could review a faithful past. He stood with a conscience free from reproach against God and man. Would that all of us could come to an end of our journey with a like sense of certain assurance. A clean heart and a clean hand will lead us into a place of power with both God and men.

•. A long life spent in untiring travel.

To judge Israel was no small task. We read of Samuel, “He went from year to year on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places. But he always returned to Ramah, for his home was there. There he judged Israel, and there he built an altar to the Lord” (1 Samuel 7:16, 17).

Let us not think for one moment that Samuel’s chief task was that of traveling. His burdens were heavier than that. He carried the burdens of a great people. He served a nation into whose very heart sin had bored its way. Samuel sought to center the people in a worship of God, and to call them away from the false deities and from images of the Phoenicians and the Philistines.

Let us not count our service by the mere physical energies which we spend, but by the spiritual blessings which we may be unto others.

Guard your heart. Teach your children. Watch and pray.