1st Samuel Chapter 3
Are You Listening?
Samuel and Eli, the priest, were both in their rooms laying down. God spoke to Samuel saying, “Here I am.” Samuel heard the voice and thought it was Eli, so he ran to Eli saying here I am, why did you call me? Eli said I didn’t call you go back to bed. This happened three times. The third time Eli knew that it was the Lord who was speaking to Samuel and told him to go lay back down and if the Lord calls the fourth time to respond by saying, ” “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” So when God called the fourth time, Samuel responded with listening ears. God said he is about to do a great thing in Israel and spoke of the Judgment that will fall upon Eli and his sons because his sons did great evil and Eli never rebuked them.
When Samuel said speak for I am listening, the Hebrew word for Speak is DABAR. It means Eli wanted God to speak while he gave his full attention. Just as God spoke to Samuel, desiring his full attention, so God wishes to speak to us daily and desires our full attention. Are we listening?
God speaks to us through his Word, the Bible. Are we reading it?
God speaks to us through his Holy Spirit throughout the day desiring to guide, direct, teach, convict of sin, encourage, change us…. Are we listening while giving our full attention? Or does the “world ” and all it has to offer deafen our ears toward what God is trying to teach us? Have a Blessed Day!
