Here I Am Lord
3 The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.
2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 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. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel.
Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
6 Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
8 A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 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.
10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 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. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel.
Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
6 Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
8 A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 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.
10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
How do we find God when it feels like He is no where to be found?
In the days of Eli and Samuel, the word of the Lord was rare. I have to imagine they were asking the same question. These were men dedicated to service for the Lord. Their lives revolved around this God who "rarely" speaks.
Yet, in the middle of this desert of visions, something miraculous happens. God speaks to Samuel...repeatedly. Isn't it wonderful that God's faithfulness cannot be stopped by our actions or lack of knowledge? God was going to keep calling Samuel out of his sleep until he got the message. "Yo, Samuel! I am talking to you!" When it's hard to find God in my life or feel His work around me, I am comforted by the fact that God's faithfulness cannot be stopped.
Even though Samuel doesn't recognize what is happening, the elder priest Eli guides Samuel after realizing what's going on. Often we need someone else, someone older and wiser, to recognize God's call on our lives. I am too close to myself, I get in my own way. I know exactly how unworthy and unprepared I am to do anything for God, which is exactly why I need someone else to say "Hey, the Lord really is calling to you.", because we are often blind to the voice and calling of God in our own lives.
To find the God who feels rare and unfindable we need to trust in His faithfulness and the counsel of others. Then we can experience the call.
So, Samuel responds. A simple surrender that takes him on an incredible journey with God and His people. If we want to walk with God, see Him move, experience His Kingdom, the same call is waiting for us. The only question is how we will respond.
Here I am Lord.
-Pastor Mitch
In the days of Eli and Samuel, the word of the Lord was rare. I have to imagine they were asking the same question. These were men dedicated to service for the Lord. Their lives revolved around this God who "rarely" speaks.
Yet, in the middle of this desert of visions, something miraculous happens. God speaks to Samuel...repeatedly. Isn't it wonderful that God's faithfulness cannot be stopped by our actions or lack of knowledge? God was going to keep calling Samuel out of his sleep until he got the message. "Yo, Samuel! I am talking to you!" When it's hard to find God in my life or feel His work around me, I am comforted by the fact that God's faithfulness cannot be stopped.
Even though Samuel doesn't recognize what is happening, the elder priest Eli guides Samuel after realizing what's going on. Often we need someone else, someone older and wiser, to recognize God's call on our lives. I am too close to myself, I get in my own way. I know exactly how unworthy and unprepared I am to do anything for God, which is exactly why I need someone else to say "Hey, the Lord really is calling to you.", because we are often blind to the voice and calling of God in our own lives.
To find the God who feels rare and unfindable we need to trust in His faithfulness and the counsel of others. Then we can experience the call.
So, Samuel responds. A simple surrender that takes him on an incredible journey with God and His people. If we want to walk with God, see Him move, experience His Kingdom, the same call is waiting for us. The only question is how we will respond.
Here I am Lord.
-Pastor Mitch
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