Eli lives in an extreme tension within scripture. He is the priest of the Most High God, he is a man who has not been an effective father, a leader of the people who has allowed his sons to terribly abuse their power, misuse their authority and mistreat the people of God while offending God with their arrogance. Yet, he is the man who trained Samuel. He is a man who himself loved God and was beloved by the people, he is a man to whom God has spoken (although the message itself was less than pleasant)... in short, Eli is a conundrum. And nowhere is that tension more evident than here. Knowing that God has already pronounced terrible judgments against himself and his house, he still demands that Samuel reveal the whole message God gave him. This message could hold nothing good for Eli, but he wanted to know the whole counsel of God. He wanted the truth. Dear children, we live in an era where the only truth accepted is the truth we agree with and more that is pleasant to us... let alone the truth that is sought. But we need to be a people who desire, seek and accept the truth, even when it hurts. Let us demand of ourselves and of those to whom we listen that they deliver to us the whole counsel of God... and may the Lord do so to them and more if they hold anything back! Let us seek truth, and then beloved, let us say with Eli, "It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him.”