Hearing God’s Voice
Like Samuel

Food for Thought

In spite of all the evil that surrounds us, the lamp of God has not yet gone out.

The Word of God for the People of God

I Samuel 3:1-10 (excerpt)

The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.

One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was . . .  

Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®
Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Reflection on the Word of God

The Word of the Lord is rare in our days. Indeed, there is no frequent vision. While there are some respectable visionaries and creative entrepreneurs around the world, the revered statesmen and insightful orators of bygone years have all but vanished from the land. Leaders are no longer trusted. Integrity is absent, so true leadership is absent. True leaders need people of conscience to work with them, for them, and not against them. Aggressive, militant responses are forcefully carried out against anyone brave enough to take a stand on any issue. In a country that prides itself on freedom of speech, people of faith (especially people who follow the teachings of Christ) are not as free as they should be.

Anarchy was the norm in the times of Samuel, so this is nothing new in the world. It breeds in the hearts of all who reject the guidance of the Lord. It is sad that we seem intent on repeating the dark cycles of history of the past. However, there is good news. We can take heart in the phrase in verse 3: “The lamp of God had not yet gone out. . .” Let us take courage that the lamp of God has not gone out. In fact, through the work of the Spirit of Christ, it is flaming brightly for those who draw near enough to see by its light. Samuel was lying as close as He could to the Presence of God, lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. As a result, he was hearing God’s voice calling to him.

Through prayer and a sacred approach to the reading of God’s Holy Word, we too can “lie down” close to the Presence of God and begin hearing God’s voice like never before. If we read farther in I Samuel 3, we learn that the word Samuel was given to carry to the priest Eli was not a pleasant message. When times are bad and people are bad, the news from God may be hard to bear and hard to hear; but it is always a word that leads toward redemption if we will receive it and act on it.

Our Response to God

Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I come in prayer to lie down within the temple of the Lord in my heart, where Christ has promised to dwell. I wait here to hear my name and to answer, “Here I am, Lord. Speak for Thy servant is waiting and listening. Come, stand forth, and speak to me in a still, small voice of gentle wisdom or a mighty thundering voice of absolute sovereignty. But, give me the courage to hear and carry out your Word.”  We pray in the name of Jesus, the Living Word and the Light of the World. Amen.