Man gives to God - God gives to man.

I was struck by a parallel in this morning's (Christmas 1) Old and New testament readings and thought I'd share it with you. The Old Testament reading was 1 Samuel 2: 18-20, 26:
     "But Samuel was ministering before the LORD - a boy wearing a linen ephod. Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, "May the LORD give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to the Lord." Then they would go home. . . . .And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favour with the LORD and with men."
     
Taking this with the Gospel reading, Luke 2: 41 - 52:
     "Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you." "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men."
     
I was struck by the fact that Hannah gave her son, Samuel, to the Lord to minister to Him and how God gave His Son, Jesus, to minister to Humanity. I'll leave you to join the dots but I just thought I'd share this with you!