There was a time in the Old Testament where it was rare that God gave messages to His people. A young lad was being mentored by an aging priest who served at the tabernacle in Shiloh. Eli the priest had two sons who also served along with their father, but they were anything but righteous. Eli would rebuke them, but he failed to make them stop. This displeased God.
Eli and his family needed a wake up call. God used a young lad named Samuel to prepare this family for what was about to come. You can read about it in 1 Samuel 3:1-21. Samuel was a young boy who was dedicated to the Lord by his parents. They gave Eli the rights to mentor him to serve the Lord. Samuel lived with Eli at the tabernacle rather than with his parents.
One night, Samuel heard a voice call out his name. He thought Eli was calling for him so he went to him. Nope, it wasn’t Eli. After returning to bed, God called out to Samuel. Again, he thought Eli was calling for him. “Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before.”7 Finally, a third time, Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling Samuel. He told the boy to go back to bed and what to do if he hears the voice again.
When the Lord called a third time, Samuel was ready, “Speak, your servant is listening.”10
Samuel exhibited the art of listening. A good listener has a teachable heart. Samuel was willing to be taught by Eli, which in turn, prepared him to learn how to hear from God. Even when he thought Eli was calling for him, he went quickly to his side and asked what he wanted? Samuel had a servant’s heart and he understood that. You see this by how he responded to Eli and to God. He lived focused on godly things which aided in developing good listening skills.
How well do you listen, to God?
Are you living your life in such a way where you would even hear God if He speaks to you or is your life full of non-essentials that occupy the space between your ears? Samuel exhibited the correct posture of a child of God. A true believer has learned how to engage all three of the Trinity in their life. They believe God the Father. They receive God the Son by confessing their sins and repenting of anything that is not of God. They realize that they need Jesus. They understand John 14:6 and 15:5. And they follow God the Holy Spirit. He helps lead them away from unspiritual ways of life and become like Christ. They learn the humble posture of obedience, like Samuel.
Without all three of the Trinity engaged in your heart, soul, and mind, one will miss out on eternal living. Look at Eli’s sons, they served in the Tabernacle, but because God wasn’t the most important thing in their life, they would live in violation of God’s ways. They chose to live carnally rather than live holy. Eli’s sons couldn’t hear truth from God or about God, even when they served religiously.
Carnal living is focused on what pleases you and your appetite. It is living for your flesh; sexual in nature. It takes over your whole life. It is temporary and worldly. (taken from merriam-webster.com definition)
Notice the message that God gave Samuel. Because Eli never disciplined his sons, judgment was coming upon his family. We all can learn a lesson from God’s message, if you are a child of God, you will live a disciplined life of holiness and righteousness in the presence of God. He will be first in your life, and you will allow God to realign your priorities in your life. Any other way is disobedience.
When the sun rose, Samuel was fearful to tell Eli what God had spoken to him. Eli wanted to know the truth of the message, no matter how difficult it was. When Samuel told Eli, the priest understood the art of listening. “It is the Lord’s will. Let Him do what He thinks best.”18 Eli was not fearful of hard news. He wasn’t mad at God for being so harsh. He understood the error of his ways and allowed God to do what He needed to do.
May you and I, as believers of Jesus Christ, have ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts that accept the Sovereign words of our Lord. May we live like Eli and Samuel. If they lived in the time of the New Testament, they would have understood 1 John 1:8-10, “If we claim we have no sin (like Eli’s sons), we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that His Word had no place in our hearts.”
Because of Samuel’s heart to learn and know God, he grew up and the Lord remained with Him. He eventually became a prophet for the Lord. God continued to give him messages and his words went out throughout Israel. God’s call is the same for you and I. Do you desire to know God and follow after His Son and walk in obedience to the Spirit? Every true believer enacts every aspect of God.
Don’t be like Eli’s sons who lived in both worlds. Their lives were cut short. Live like Samuel and have a heart that desires to hear from God. You are His servant and you are to be ready and willing to do what He wants. He has wonderful things He wants to tell you and show you for He is helping you to go home one day where you and Christ will be together forever.
Carol J German 