July 25, 2021
that the Lord called Samuel. And he answered, “Here I am!” So he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” And he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” And he went and lay down.
~I Samuel 3:4-5~
The Lord spoke to Samuel as a child as he laid down one night in his room. He called Samuel by name; "So the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.” (Exodus 33:17)
The Lord knows each and every one of us by our name. It's a beautiful connection we make before we are even born, He knows all of our names! Names have a very important meaning behind them, to the Father they are all of what we represent; "And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel."
(Genesis 35:10)
This is just one example of many where God uses names to represent pure meaning and righteousness throughout time. His own Son was granted a Name that would save, carry authority and change the world.
The Lord called out to Samuel, his given name, yet His voice wasn't recognizable to Samuel yet. How often do we see in the bible where God has called out to His children to get their attention? Is God calling out to you right now? Are we, like Samuel, thinking it is coming from someone else or our own "imagination?" Perhaps Jesus is calling out to us by name and trying to teach us how to recognize His voice. Notice the Lord called out to Samuel more then once. He did not stop calling until Samuel knew it was Him. Jesus never gives up on us, He calls out to us even when we ignore Him or think its not Him all together. The Lord called out to Samuel as if to say "I want to commune with you." Even before Christ came God longed for that communion with man. That is the very reason we were created to begin with. I find it rather interesting that Samuel kept jumping up to the sound of his name being called, as if deep within his being He felt that connection to God that is naturally within all of us as we are made. We all have the choice to either jump up and connect or ignore it all together. Samuel's heart burned with desire to know who it was and what they needed; "And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32)
Does our hearts hear a certain voice and long to know where it comes from? God is relentless as He calls out to us, just as He was for Samuel. Let us lean into Scripture, pray for the Lord to make Himself more prominent in our lives and ask for the discernment to tell if it is Him of something else. Holy Spirit will give us the understanding as we long for it just as Samuel longed to know if it was Eli calling him or not. After being called on repeatedly, Eli instructed Samuel to answer the Lord back. Eli had understanding of where it was actually from and he called him to be obedient to the Lord. "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 went and lay down in his place." (I Samuel 3:9)
Eli knew the importance of obedience to God. This drew Samuel closer as he obeyed the words of his elders and the words of God. Finally the Lord was able to commune with Samuel! How incredibly blessed we are to be able to hear from the Lord! How amazing it is that the Creator of the universe longs to speak with us! Whether it is directly from him as this still small voice, a pressing deep within our own hearts or through another person of God; Jesus is calling out to each of us. Let us lean in and listen for Him, asking Him to confirm His voice so that we may grow the way He desires of us just as He did for Samuel. It goes to show, it doesnt matter the age or backround of a person. God speaks regardless. He shows no partiality and He loves us all!
Prayer:
Gracious God, thank you for wanting to speak with me and giving me the ability to speak back. I long to hear Your voice more in my life. Help me to have confirmation that what I am hearing, feeling and seeing is coming from You. If it is not of You, I reject it in Jesus Name. I declare that I am Your child and Your Name burns within my heart each day. I need more of You and less of myself. Build me, shape me and mold me into the person You need me to be. I bless this day and praise You for it. Your provision, security and faithfulness is all that I need to breathe new life, for I am a new creation in Christ Jesus! It is in that very Name I pray this prayer, knowing You hear it and answer it. Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.