It Is the Lord

Then Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son." And he said, "Here I am." He said, "What is the word that He spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the words that He spoke to you." So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, "It is the LORD; let Him do what seems good to Him."(1 Samuel 3:16-18)

After Samuel was called by God and given a prophetic word, he is afraid to tell it to the old priest Eli. God revealed to Samuel that He has determined to punish Eli's family for the terrible sins his sons had been committing. Finally, Eli persuaded Samuel to tell him the prophecy. Here comes the amazing part. Eli does not get angry with God or Samuel but says, "It is the Lord; let Him do what seems good to Him." Eli was a good priest who could not control his children. But he trusted God. Even in punishment he trusted the Lord. Eli says, 'He is God, after all, and He knows best." That is a whole new level of faith in the wisdom and goodness of God.