Voice of God

In the days just before Samuel the prophet appeared on the scene the Bible tells us that the word of the Lord was rare and there were not many visions (I Samuel 3:1). Obviously prior to that time, the people of God were used to hearing God’s voice instruct them and visions were common. Samuel, a young boy unaccustomed to hearing God’s voice and Eli his Dad perhaps had given up on hearing God’s voice. After all, hearing from God was rare. Perhaps noone expected God to speak any more and they didnt even recognize His voice. So Samuel had not been instructed in hearing God’s voice. When God spoke to Samuel in the middle of the night, He did not recognize that God Himself was speaking. But after a few times of hearing, Eli, his Dad realized that the Lord was calling the boy and instructed Samuel to listen (v.9).  Samuel had to tune into God’s station– he was on AM and God was speaking on FM. He had to open his spiritual ears to hear what God had to say to him.

We too are often like Samuel. We listen with our physical ears to no avail; God wants us to hear with the “ears of the Spirit.” He has given us His Holy Spirit to instruct us but we have to tune in to His station. The Bible puts it this way: “incline your ears to understanding”. Once we tune in through prayer, reading of His Word, our spiritual ears are opened and He imparts His Word to us. But that is only the beginning. Samuel had to listen to God’s words and then he had to obey. His assignment was one I would not have signed up for. Samuel didnt sign up for it either but he listened to God’s instructions and then obeyed.