For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord."
— 1 Samuel 1:27-28
The relationship between the believing parent and the Lord in reference to his child has been presented to us in different ways. In Samuel’s story we have a new and very beautiful expression of this relationship. Hannah had received her son from the Lord in answer to prayer. The love and joy of her heart could find no better way of expressing themselves than in the giving of her child to the Lord again, for as long as he lives.
God looks upon my child as His, and he has only been loaned to me to train. The child is indeed not mine, but the Lord’s. Because I am naturally inclined to forget this, I love and treat the child as if he were altogether mine. For this reason it is such a precious privilege to give him to the Lord for all the days of his life.
God has not only a right to the child, but He needs him. The work He has to do upon the earth is so great, and He has so planned the work of each person, that He would not leave out even one of His children. I have so often heard of a mother joyfully sacrificing an only son, or all her sons, for her king or country. I consider it an even greater honor to give to my King the child who is His, and whom He has loaned me, with the privilege of loving and training and enjoying him. I love my Lord and have often asked what I can render to Him for His love to me. I delight to give what is my most precious possession upon the earth to be His. To Him who gave His Son for me, to Him alone, all I am and have belongs. My child, too, I have given to the Lord as long as he shall live.
Excerpt taken from Raising your Children for Christ by Andrew Murray. This excerpt can be found in Chapter 17. Public Domain.