1 Samuel, Day One

I am starting up the daily devotions again -- sorry for the long 'sabbatical'! If you no longer want to receive them, please send a return note and I'll take you off the list.

Today's Reading:
We have several chapters to read this week in 1 and 2 Samuel. I've divided them into five parts (about 5 chapters per day)-- don't worry, the chapters aren't too long. Today we will look at 1 Samuel 1, 3, 8-9. If you want, you can read them on-line here.

Today's Devotion:

1 Samuel 3:6-10

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 The LORD called Samuel a third time, 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." (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

Samuel did not know the Lord when he was called and he hadn't been taught his word yet. Yet God knew the plans he had for Samuel and he called him despite the fact that Samuel wasn't 'ready'. God knew Samuel was ready to learn, grow, and obey. Sometimes that's all we need to be called -- God provides the rest.

Note that God called Samuel four times. He didn't understand the call the first few times, so God persisted until Samuel had received instruction on how to respond. God may be calling us to do great things for him, too, but we don't really understand how to respond to that call. But if we seek the counsel of those who are wiser in the ways of the Lord, they can help us know what steps to take next.

Have you felt the call of God lately? Did you push it away because you didn't think you were ready or did you ignore it because you weren't sure if the thought was yours or God's? As this passage shows, God will call us when he thinks we are ready, not when we think we are prepared. He will keep calling until we respond (at least for a while), and he will be both persistent and consistent in his approach.