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God Still Calls People of All Ages
From 1 Samuel 1:1-20: Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the 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. Then the Lord called, "Samuel! Samuel!" and he said, "Here I am!" and 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. The 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." Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The 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. Therefore 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. Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." Then the Lord said to Samuel, "See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering forever." Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son." He said, "Here I am." Eli said, "What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that he told you." So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said, "It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him." As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord.
Samuel was a gift from God, to God. The son of a devoted woman, he had been presented to God to minister alongside the prophet Eli. Eli had grown old, and had lost control of his own sons; but this boy, like his mother, was devoted to the work, but he did not yet know God. The story shared here happens during the night. Samuel was lying down in the temple near the ark of God. He hears a voice calling him by name; in fact, the name is said twice. The little boy runs to Eli, thinking it had been Eli calling to him. The old man said he was not calling him. It happens again, same result, Go back and lay down. It is on the third time that the prophet realizes that it is God calling the little boy and tells him the response he should give God, "Speak, for your servant is listening." The response from God was not a good response for Eli. God had grown tired of hearing the things lifted up against Eli's sons. The little boy lay there until morning, then Eli came and asked, and Samuel told him what God had said.
God calls us into ministry, and sometimes God calls some of us out of ministry. In this case, Samuel is called into ministry, and Eli is called out of it. Never an easy thing for those who hear that or wrestle with it, but it does happen. Sadly, I believe, too many people are closed to hearing either call. Some go their whole lives running and hiding from God. Some in ministry continue in it even though God may be calling them out. The latter are those who have lost contact with God and no longer listen for what God may be asking of them.
Where do you find yourself? Being called in, or called out? This is something to pray about, for we want to do God's will, not ours. As you pray, listen and when you finish praying, listen yet again.
PRAYER: Loving God, help me to listen to You. If You are calling me in, help me prepare. If You are calling me out, help me also to prepare. But I want Your will, not mine to be done. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
