Wednesday 1/27/2016 4:47 AM
I read the story of Samuel’s call in 1 Samuel 3 this
morning. As a child I remember being impressed that God actually spoke with
Samuel personally and gave him a very specific message about Eli, and Eli’s
family. Samuel went on to become one of the greatest prophets in Israel. The
people of Israel would seek his advice because they assumed he had a direct
line to God. The kings of Israel even acknowledged his close relationship with God
and sought him out before going into battle or making a decision that had
far-reaching consequences for the people of God.
I have always presumed that in those situations Samuel
would pray to God and God would answer like he did in the story I read this
morning. Today I read to the end of the chapter and neatly tucked away in the last
verse are these words, “The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he
revealed himself to Samuel through his word.” That verse seems to imply that
the wisdom Samuel dispensed to those seeking the will of God came not from a
special revelation in a dream or trance but through Samuel’s familiarity with
and knowledge of God’s word.
I long to hear the voice of God speaking from the clouds or
by some equally impressive display, telling me what to do or which direction to
take. If God chose to speak to one of the greatest prophets of Israel through
his word, he will probably do the same with me. The challenge becomes to spend
the necessary time reading God’s word so that I can cultivate an understanding
of God’s message to me. I pray that I will have the grace to accept the dull
routine of regular reading and prayer to hear the voice of God rather than
looking for the glitzy, glamorous, message in the clouds.
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