Bread of Life Voice

SAMUEL’S CALL AND THE LESSONS FROM IT
(1 Samuel 3:1-10)

Studying and meditating on the call of Samuel, a lot of messages dropped, and the Lord began to teach me many things to grasp if I want to develop a strong communion with Him. Below are few lessons to learn from Samuel’s call;

1. You can worship but not know God, at least not know him intimately (1Samuel 3:7).

Verse 10 tells us: “Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.” Samuel has been worshipping Yahweh in the sanctuary (1 Samuel 1:28b) and ministering before Yahweh (1 Samuel 3:1) — that is, assisting in the priestly duties — without knowing God!

A lot of us today serve in various capacities in the church, many of us occupy high exaulted offices – Parish council chairman, CMO president, CWO president, Evangelical Ministry Coordinator, National CCRN chairman etc… – but have not totally been conformed to the real image of Christ. These leadership offices are not prerequisites for knowing God but they put us in the close range of knowing God with our active services. We should be careful how we get deceived by these leadership positions, as they can sometimes deny us the intimacy we need as children of God.

2. You can hear God speaking, but not recognize that it is God  (1 Samuel 3:4-6).

We may not recognize God’s voice the first time we hear it. It wouldn’t surprise me if you who are reading this have heard God speaking to you, but haven’t recognized it as God himself speaking. Perhaps you identified it as your conscience or your own thoughts. This will take us to the next lesson from this message.

3. Sometimes a mentor can help us learn to recognize and respond to God’s voice (1 Samuel 3:8b-9).

Eli recognizes what is happening and instructs Samuel on what to say if this happens again. Then the mentor confirms that it is indeed God’s voice that Samuel heard — “He is the LORD” (1 Samuel 3:18) — though Samuel is already well aware that God has spoken to him. We need to cultivate spiritual receptivity, an affinity for, a bent toward, a sympathetic response to, a desire to have God (A. W. Tozer).

4. We must come before God as humble and obedient servants if we want to hear what he is saying.

We learn from Samuel, that a willingness to obey is an important part of being receptive to God’s voice: “Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.” A servant hears with the intention of obeying what his master tells him. It is insulting to ask God what we should do if we have no intention of doing anything else than what we want to do.

Part of a willing and submissive spirit is a willingness to obey:

Even if we don’t understand why, and even if we don’t know the final result.

Too often, there is in us an insistence on being in control. Explain it to me, God, and if I agree that it fits my objectives and plans for my life, then I’ll be happy to obey. How silly! In the military, the importance of following orders is drilled into soldiers — and officers. Only if a soldier receives what is an illegal order or command should he or she refuse. In the same way, when we become familiar with the Bible, we know the kinds of commands that God would never give, and thus discern that it is not God’s voice telling us that.

Finally, Brethren, It is the relationship with God, not his voice, that is primary.

Peace be with you!