Focus
Let yourself become open to God and the knowledge that comes from the Word. Ask God for a peace at this time.
Read
3 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.
2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; 3 the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. 6 The Lord called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8 The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 11 Then the Lord said to Samuel, “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 For I have told him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering forever.”
15 Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. 16 But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” He said, “Here I am.” 17 Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said, “It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.”
Reflect
This is such a cool passage. I love it. When I first became a Christian I would go to church and read my Bible. I sensed God was speaking to me, but I could ascertain exactly what God was saying. I felt like I heard a voice, but it was only one among many. I went to my pastor and asked, “how can I discern God’s voice among all the noise in my life?” He told me that often times we busy our lives to such an extent that we find it difficult to hear God’s voice. He said, sometimes God’s voice thunders so loud in our hearts that we can not mistake it for any other voice, but sometimes it is in the sheer silence that God speaks and that is much easier to be drowned out.
The most important thing he told me was that to hear God’s voice we must be expecting God to speak and to put ourselves in submission to hear it. We use the spiritual disciplines to create times and opportunities to hear God. He said the best way to hear God’s voice is to be intentional about hearing it. Make time to say, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.”
I am so grateful for that pastor long ago. I imagine Samuel was grateful for Eli being in his life and teaching him how to listen and respond to God.
Pray
Dear God, slow us down that we might hear your voice. Give us an attitude of submission, for that is when we can hear you the clearest. Amen
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