1 Samuel 3:1-10 (NRSV)
Read 1 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
So you want God to speak to you?
When you serve the voice of God, you will find yourself in conflicted situations.
Consider Samuel. He hears the voice of God. No one else does. Eli is deaf to God’s voice. And the people of Israel are deaf to God.
Yet these are followers of God too. And they outnumbered him. And they were in authority over him.
So what does God’s servant show us? Samuel does not let their sin control his spirit. He tells them, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you...1 Samuel 12:23
You know where Samuel got his confidence. It came from the voice of the One whose cross words have changed you. Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, as we begin the week praying for Christian Unity, forgive me for ceasing to pray for some people and renew your spirit in me to pray as you pray. Amen.