Hello, dear one! Thanks for tuning in this week for another post that I pray will enlighten and encourage you. Today I want to explicate a very interesting portion of scripture concerning God's voice and what to do when He calls out to you.
Our Bible passage this week is taken from 1 Samuel 3 and the main characters in today's story are:
Eli who was a high priest and the second-to-last judge of Israel. After prophesying over Hannah saying that she would give birth to a son, he personally raised the boy (named Samuel) and trained him up to be a minister unto the LORD.
and,
Samuel who was Israel's last judge and one of the most renowned prophets in the Bible. He served as a key instrument during Israel's time of transition from a period of biblical judges to one of instituted kings.
Prior to the renown he would eventually accumulate later in his life as a prophet, Samuel served the LORD in the temple as a young boy. But before he came to personally know God and release prophetic messages concerning the nation of Israel, an important event transpired that shaped the course of his life forever...
Let's take a look at it.
A MYSTERIOUS VOICE...
It was the middle of the night when Samuel heard an unknown voice calling out to him. Thinking Eli was the one who called him, Samuel ran to Eli's room only to be met with the words,
"I did not call [you]."
Confused, Samuel goes and lay back down. Suddenly, the mysterious voice calls out a second time, beckoning Samuel in the same way it did the first: "Samuel!"
So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." He answered, "I did not call, my son; lie down again." 7 (Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him.)
8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you did call me."
Three times Samuel got up to answer the voice, only to be met with the same response: "I did not call you." Finally, Eli discerns what's happening and instructs Samuel on what to do when the voice calls again:
Then Eli perceived that the Lord had called the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, 'Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.'"
So, Samuel lay down again and this time, the voice beckons twice saying "Samuel, Samuel!"
Samuel stumbled towards what was familiar — to Eli. But how was he able to find Eli in the dark?
FLEEING TO FAMILIARITY
Samuel had to feel around because there was no light (no revelation) to guide the way. Samuel used his natural senses to arrive at a natural solution that would not serve his overall objective: gaining clarity.
But when Eli picked up on the fact that God was calling the boy, he used his spiritual understanding to guide him towards a spiritual solution. Therefore, who you run to in times of confusion is paramount, for they are the ones that can point you towards the place where you need to go.
Remember: God is not the Author of confusion. But sometimes He'll allow you to be in a situation where you don't really know what to do or where to go in order to leverage the strategic relationships you have in your life.
Why didn't God say, "Samuel, it is I, the LORD"? He could've saved Samuel some time by identifying Himself the first time. However, God intentionally allowed Samuel to stumble in the dark, to reach the end of himself.
Finally, after gaining some insight on what to do in the situation, Samuel not only hears the voice of the LORD again, but he engages it by responding. As a result, God Himself manifests to Samuel, giving him a powerful prophecy concerning Eli and the future of Israel.
ENGAGING THE VOICE OF GOD
So many times we hear the voice of the LORD, but we fail to engage Him. If you're feeling confused in any area of your life, ask yourself this question:
"Am I engaging the Word of the LORD over my life? Am I engaging the voice of God?"
When you engage His voice, you initiate conversation, rapport — intimacy. God is speaking, but are you interacting with His voice? When you engage God's Word, the Word becomes flesh and manifests in your life. In other words, the Logos Word of God transforms into the Rhema — it becomes intimate and personal, able to effect change in revolutionary ways.
Have you been hearing the voice of the LORD? Has he been calling out to you?
If so, let this blog post serve as direction for you in what to do in such a situation, taken from the wisdom of Eli himself; engage God's voice by saying "Speak, Lord; Your servant is listening."
And by doing so, I believe the LORD will manifest Himself to you, showing up in your life and providing light to places that you haven't been able to navigate in the dark.
Here's a prayer for you:
Lord, I thank you for Your Word. I am grateful that you have given me ears to hear your voice, and I thank you for giving me people and resources that can point me towards the right direction when I am unable to discern your Word. I pray that you would manifest yourself to me in new ways, and activate the anointing you've placed upon my life so I can glorify Your name in full capacity.
In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen.
Thanks for reading! Reflect:
Are there any areas of your life wherein you feel confused?
How will listening for God's voice (and engaging Him when He speaks) give you clarity?
In what ways does God manifest Himself to you?
Crystal❤️