I Samuel 3:1-10 (NRSV)
Read I Samuel 3:1-10 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 3Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. Verse 2At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; Verse 3the 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. Verse 4Then the Lord called, "Samuel! Samuel!" and he said, "Here I am!" Verse 5and 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. Verse 6The 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." Verse 7Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. Verse 8The 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. Verse 9Therefore 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. Verse 10Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
Devotion
Samuel lived in the temple. He was eagerly serving God, ready to answer the priest’s summons at midnight. Yet he “did not yet know the Lord.” This could happen today too. A person might attend church regularly and be active in the congregation. Surely this person would know about God, but might not have a faith relationship with the Lord.
It wasn’t Samuel’s fault. God’s word had not yet been revealed to him. Was Eli, Samuel’s mentor, blind in more than one way? He hadn’t recognized Hannah’s emotional difficulties as a spiritual problem. He did not correct his son’s sins. But the “lamp of the Lord had not yet gone out.” God had not given up.
When Samuel learned to know the Lord, he became a channel by which the word of the Lord became known again. Nothing is beyond hope when people hear and respond to God’s call.
Prayer
Lord, help us to listen and respond to your call.