Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the LORD by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the LORD were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon. One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernaclea near the Ark of God. Suddenly the LORD called out, “Samuel!” “Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?”
He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did. Then the LORD called out again, “Samuel!”
Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.” Samuel did not yet know the LORD because he had never had a message from the LORD before. So the LORD called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
Then Eli realized it was the LORD who was calling the boy. So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, LORD, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed.
And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”
Then the LORD said to Samuel, “I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them. So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings.”
Samuel stayed in bed until morning, then got up and opened the doors of the Tabernacle as usual. He was afraid to tell Eli what the LORD had said to him. But Eli called out to him, “Samuel, my son.”
“Here I am,” Samuel replied.
1 Samuel 3:1-15 NLT
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Samuel was only 12 when he heard the voice of God. God spoke so clearly to him, but only after he had positioned himself directly outside the Holy of Holies. Have you heard God’s voice lately?
One thing I know for sure is that God wants to speak to us. He meets you exactly where you are, no matter what you have or haven’t done. And He wants you to know His will for your life. But you have to be in a position to listen. There are so many distractions today and we can get so busy with the mundane that we cannot hear above the noise of life.
In the Bible, when God did speak to His people, He usually waited until they showed that they were ready to listen and to receive it.
For example,
- He called Mary’s name after His resurrection, but only after she came to the tomb, seeking her Savior’s body (John 20).
- He gave David advice on many important issues when he “…inquired of the Lord” (1 Samuel 23).
- He spoke directly to the woman with the medical issues, only after she, oh so forcefully, made her way through the crowd to just touch Jesus (Luke 8).
- And He spoke (in this record) to Samuel, a young boy who is so ready to hear His Heavenly Father.
Are you ready to hear from Him? Maybe you’re holding on to something that is taking up all your time and energy because you just can’t let it go. Maybe there is sin that you haven’t asked forgiveness for that is getting in the way of His message to you. You can start today fresh by clearing all the distractions and preparing your heart for complete worship. Seek Him and quiet your soul and wait on Him to meet you. Then ask—knowing and believing wholeheartedly that He will answer you, at just the right time.
And if this time in your life is quiet, don’t be distressed. Just keep worshipping this awesome God of ours and remember all He has done for you and keep telling Him how much He means to you. He will respond…are you ready?
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Do you know this God we are talking about? Do you know that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to earth to live as we do, to experience all that we have to, so that He could be the model we can go by in this life? He died for you and me so that we don’t have to. If you want to have Jesus, I invite you to pray with me.
Dear Jesus, I am sorry for all the things I have done wrong. I want to thank You for dying on the Cross for me. I want to live a new life with You. I ask that You come into my heart and be my Savior. Walk with me and guide me. Teach me more about You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
