哈拿和撒母耳的故事可以帮助我们理解洗礼中身份的转变。哈拿一直未能生育，但她祷告说，如果神赐给她一个孩子，她就将他“终身”（撒上1:11）归于耶和华。神应允了她的祷告，她最终把孩子带到祭司以利那里，开始训练他侍奉神。撒母耳毕生忠心侍奉神许多年。
在某种程度上，就像哈拿所做的那样，她把自己心爱的孩子交给了神，在洗礼中，我们作为父母把孩子交给了基督的教会和国度，我们被呼召在抚育其成长中侍奉主。孩子的主要身份转变为教会——即神的大家庭的一员。在洗礼中，我们认识到是主接纳并将孩子分别出来，作祂的儿女。孩子被介绍给他们新的教会家庭（包括跨越历史和地域的普世教会）。然后，父母或监护人受托在教会（地方教会）的帮助下以基督信仰抚养孩子。
因此，带孩子来受洗是一种表达深刻信心的行动，因为孩子可能会被呼召以勇敢甚至冒险的生活方式在今世事奉神和基督的国。即便如此，圣灵仍向我们保证，每个人的命运轨迹始终掌握在神的手中（约 10:27-30）。
主啊，感谢你呼召我们成为你的子民。我们将整个生命交给你，因为你为我们完全奉献了自己。请按你的旨意使用我们。阿们。
撒母耳记上 1:9-28
9他们在示罗吃喝完了，哈拿就站起来。祭司以利在耶和华殿的门框旁边，坐在自己的位上。
10哈拿心里愁苦，就痛痛哭泣，祈祷耶和华，
11许愿说：“万军之耶和华啊！你若垂顾婢女的苦情，眷念不忘婢女，赐我一个儿子，我必使他终身归于耶和华，不用剃头刀剃他的头。”
12哈拿在耶和华面前不住地祈祷，以利定睛看她的嘴。
13原来哈拿心中默祷，只动嘴唇，不出声音，因此以利以为她喝醉了。
14以利对她说：“你要醉到几时呢？你不应该喝酒。”
15哈拿回答说：“主啊，不是这样。我是心里愁苦的妇人，清酒浓酒都没有喝，但在耶和华面前倾心吐意。
16不要将婢女看做不正经的女子，我因被人激动，愁苦太多，所以祈求到如今。”
17以利说：“你可以平平安安地回去，愿以色列的神允准你向他所求的！”
18哈拿说：“愿婢女在你眼前蒙恩。”于是妇人走去吃饭，面上再不带愁容了。
19次日清早他们起来，在耶和华面前敬拜，就回拉玛，到了家里。以利加拿和妻哈拿同房，耶和华顾念哈拿，
20哈拿就怀孕。日期满足，生了一个儿子，给他起名叫撒母耳，说：“这是我从耶和华那里求来的。”
21以利加拿和他全家都上示罗去，要向耶和华献年祭，并还所许的愿。
22哈拿却没有上去，对丈夫说：“等孩子断了奶，我便带他上去朝见耶和华，使他永远住在那里。”
23她丈夫以利加拿说：“就随你的意行吧，可以等儿子断了奶。但愿耶和华应验他的话！”于是妇人在家里乳养儿子，直到断了奶。
24既断了奶，就把孩子带上示罗，到了耶和华的殿，又带了三只公牛，一伊法细面，一皮袋酒；那时孩子还小。
25宰了一只公牛，就领孩子到以利面前。
26妇人说：“主啊，我敢在你面前起誓，从前在你这里站着祈求耶和华的那妇人就是我。
27我祈求为要得这孩子，耶和华已将我所求的赐给我了。
28所以，我将这孩子归于耶和华，使他终身归于耶和华。”于是在那里敬拜耶和华。
"[Hannah said,] 'I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.'" - 1 Samuel 1:28
The story of Hannah and Samuel can help us understand the transition of identity that takes place in baptism. Hannah had not been able to bear a child, but she prayed, asking that if God would give her a child, she would give him to the Lord "for all the days of his life" (1 Samuel 1:11). God answered her prayer, and she eventually brought her little boy to Eli the priest to begin his training in the service of the Lord. And Samuel served God faithfully for many years.
In a way like what Hannah did, giving up her beloved child to God's service, in baptism we give children to be a part of Christ's church and kingdom, in which we are called to serve the Lord. The child's primary identity shifts to become part of the church, the family of God. In baptism, we recognize that the Lord claims and sets the child apart as his own. And the child is introduced to their new church family (which extends across history and geography). The parents or caregivers are then entrusted to raise the child in the Christian faith, with the church's help.
Bringing a child for baptism is therefore a profound act of faith, because the child may be called to serve God in radical or even dangerous ways for Christ's kingdom. Even so, the Spirit assures us that each one's destiny is always in God's hand (John 10:27-30).
Lord, thank you for calling us to be your own. We give our whole lives over to you, for you gave yourself completely for us. Use us for your purposes. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
