Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 3:1-14, 5:1–7:17; Psalm 29

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE RECOGNIZE GOD’S VOICE AND RESPOND IN SUBMISSIVE OBEDIENCE?

One night, Samuel was lying in bed and heard a voice calling out his name. He went in to check on Eli, but Eli had not called him. Samuel returned to bed and heard the voice again. Rushing in to Eli’s room, Samuel said, “Here I am. Did you call me?” The third time this happened, Eli gave Samuel very good advice: “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening’” (1 Samuel 3:4-9).

Samuel had never heard the voice of God, but Eli knew how to recognize the moment when God was speaking. When the voice called out as before, Samuel’s response to the voice of God was, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening” (3:10).

This was the first of many times when the Lord spoke to Samuel. His obedience resulted in the Lord continuing to speak to him, giving messages for Samuel to repeat to the people of Israel. They would, in turn, repeat the message to each other, and God’s message spread to all the people of Israel because of Samuel’s obedience (3:21).

Hear me as I pray, O Lord.
Be merciful and answer me!
My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”
And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” – Psalm 27:7-8

SAMUEL HAD A HEART THAT DESIRED TO OBEY AND GOD USED HIS OBEDIENCE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS.

Samuel knew the purpose to which God had called him and his heart’s desire was to live out that purpose. He knew his parents had given him to God at a young age – he knew where he came from and Samuel knew to whom he now belonged. He recognized that the heart of Israel had strayed from God, and he was willing to be used by God to help bring them back to a place of repentance.

The Philistines had captured the Ark of God, and the Israelites feared God had left them as well. The Philistines placed the Ark of God in the temple of their god, Dagon. The next morning, they found their idol had fallen on its face in front of the Ark of the Lord. They set it back up, but the next morning they found it had fallen again, but this time its head and hands had broken off. A plague of Tumors struck all the people in Ashdod. Recognizing that this was related to the presence of the Ark, they moved it to Gath, but a plague of tumors struck that town as well. So they put the Ark on a cart pulled by two cows who had just given birth, and they watched to see where the cows would go. Although their nature would have been to stay close to their calves, the cows pulled the cart back across the border and into Israelite territory.

Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you want to return to the Lord with all your hearts, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Turn your hearts to the Lord and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” So the Israelites got rid of their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshiped only the Lord. – 1 Samuel 7:3-4

Because Samuel was obedient and willing to be used by God in the lives of others, the Israelites found their way back to God. Samuel prayed for God’s people and led them in confession and fasting. His humble servant attitude led the people of Israel to know that it was not Samuel who could save them, but the God to whom Samuel prayed.

“Don’t stop pleading with the Lord our God to save us from the Philistines!” they begged Samuel…He pleaded with the Lord to help Israel and the Lord answered him. – 1 Samuel 7:8-9

SAMUEL LEARNED HOW TO LISTEN FOR THE VOICE OF GOD AND RECOGNIZE WHEN THE LORD HAD A MESSAGE FOR HIS PEOPLE.

Samuel was Israel’s judge for the remainder of his life (7:15). He served God faithfully and his leadership helped God’s people to return to Him. His mother, Hannah, had sacrificially given her son back to God, and God had faithfully used Samuel to make an impact on His people. Hannah let go of what the current culture said was rightfully hers because she recognized that her son would always belong to God.

Dear Jesus, I desire to have a servant heart, just as Samuel did. Give me ears to recognize your voice and the courage to respond in submissive obedience. Lord, take away any fear or doubt I may have and replace it with the boldness to be your voice in the lives of others. Lord, this morning I pray for our nation. Help us to see our sins and turn to you in repentance. May we once again become a nation that trusts in God. We pray for the leadership of each state and of our nation, that they would recognize your existence and bow to your authority. Father God, please heal our land. Amen.

The voice of the Lord strikes
with bolts of lightning.
The voice of the Lord makes the barren wilderness quake;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks
and strips the forests bare.
In his Temple everyone shouts, “Glory!”
The Lord rules over the floodwaters.
The Lord reigns as king forever.
The Lord gives his people strength.
The Lord blesses them with peace. – Psalm 29:7-11