There is a need in this world for fathers. Elkanah is an example of a good father; the author presents him to us in the first two chapters of First Samuel. Elkanah, whose name means “God has [be]gotten,” was a man with two wives, Hannah (“favor”) and Peninnah (“pearl”). There is a great deal to be learned from him about how to be a godly parent.

He Set An Example Of Worship And Service

Elkanah focused on worshiping God (1 Sam 1:3). This speaks more of him than stating his wealth, physical appearance, or fame. He did not have the fame or wealth of King David. However, Elkanah gives us a much better example of godly fatherhood. Notice, he did not go to worship alone. His family accompanied him (1 Sam. 1:21).

A godly father is the unseen spiritual submarine who lurks below the surface of every activity of his child’s life. A man who has put on the full armor of God and with that armor, goes to warfare on his knees for his children, is a force to be reckoned with in this world. Although parents and grandparents cannot be with their children 24 hours a day, through their prayer they have the ability to affect situations even when they are not physically present. You may be undetected but that does not mean you are ineffective.” - Steve Farrar, Standing Tall

Elkanah trained his family to worship by supplying them with individual portions for sacrifice to God (1 Sam. 1:4). We need to train children and grandchildren to worship properly today.

Children and teens model the behavior that they observe. The more consistent we are in what we do and in what we say, then the more positive behavior we will observe in the children and teens around us.

There is a high price to pay when adults are inconsistent. Remember all the problems David had with Absalom because of David’s lofty words and grievous sins.

The research points to three consequences of inconsistency. First, the effects of your teaching are diminished when deeds and words are not in line. The more inconsistent you are, the more you will hear yourself saying, "How many times have I told you not to do that?" Second, children can readily recognize inconsistencies, and they become more upset with their inconsistent parents than children who have parents who are more consistent.

Third, a parent who does one thing but expects or demands the opposite from a child is more likely to have discipline problems and more likely to punish a lot in the effort to overcome the influence of his or her own modeling.

He Loved His Wife

He loved Hannah, his wife (1 Sam. 1:5). Husbands are to love their wives. Love in Scripture is primarily a commitment and not an emotion. The kind of love I want to discuss is the love that Christ has for us – the love that we're supposed to show our spouse every day.

The Greek word for this sacrificial love is agape. I like this definition of agape love:

"Unconditional love that is always giving and impossible to take or be a taker. It devotes total commitment to seek your highest best no matter how anyone may respond. This form of love is totally selfless and does not change whether the love given is returned or not."

Jesus doesn't expect anything in return. He loves me when I speak to Him daily, spend time in His Word, and help an elderly person cross the street. But, He also loves me when I respond with a harsh tone to my family, yell at the person who cut me off in traffic, and don't feel like doing the dishes or the laundry. His love is unconditional and is there even when I fail Him.

Through the love a husband has for his wife, the love for their children is revealed. Someone has said, "The best thing a father can do for his children is to be a good husband to their mother."

He Cooperated In Rearing Their Child

Hannah prayed to God for a son and promised to devote him to service to Him if her prayer were answered (1 Sam. 1:11). Elkanah concurred with her decision and allowed his son Samuel to be given to Eli, the priest (1 Sam. 1:3).

After Samuel was weaned, when he was three to five years old, Hannah (likely with Elkanah as the silent partner), took the boy and three years’ worth of sacrifices, and brought them to Eli the priest in Shiloh. Both the bull and the child are offerings to the Lord, and Samuel’s dedication to the sanctuary is, surely for the parents, a kind of sacrifice.

Elkanah and Hannah knew the value of living godly lives devoted to the Lord. It is so easy for us to be distracted by the concerns of this life and lose sight of what truly is important.

After dedicating their son Samuel to the Lord, Elkanah and Hannah continue to perform their annual sacrifice to the Lord and to care for their son Samuel even though he remains in Shiloh (1 Sam 2:18–20). They have a God-honoring sacrificial love for their son.

Elkanah loved his God and his family even during the tough times and persevered as a godly parent. Samuel would become a famous prophet who would anoint kings and declare God's judgement on wickedness.

What if your father or stepfather does not remind you of Elkanah? What if your father was absent or abusive? Forgive your father,

What if your mother, brother, sister, grandparent, uncle, aunt, or cousin has offended you? Forgive them.

He’s human. He made mistakes, yes. But who among us has not sinned? And we will want our children to forgive us.”

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