Dear Hope family,

Thought for the Week

Samuel – God’s Call!

1Samuel 3v4 “Then the Lord called Samuel.”

When did you last hear the Lord speaking to you?

This is the lovely story of young Samuel asleep at night. He is woken 3 times by the Lord calling his name, but he thinks it is Eli calling him. The fourth time, he answers the call, “Speak for your servant is listening.” (v10).

Our spiritual ears can learn to recognise God speaking to us. At first, Samuel did not realise it was God and needed the encouragement of Eli that it was God speaking. But once, Samuel knew, then we read, “The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.” (v21)

Sometimes God speaks to us for our personal benefit. Sometimes God speaks for us to pass on to others. Samuel was being developed by God as a prophet – one who listened to what God said and then passed it on to others. What is God revealing to you? Is he expecting you to pass the word on to someone else? Sometimes it is only once we speak that we can realise the significance.

The first prophetic words Samuel received from God were not a pleasant message and so he needed Eli’s encouragement to share it. Let’s listen to the Lord and let’s encourage one another in sharing the word of the Lord.

With love and blessing,

Roland