April, 2007
“Finding Your Calling”
I Samuel 3:1-10
INTRODUCTION: During three centuries of rule by the judges, the word of God was rare. By Eli’s time there were no prophets speaking God’s message. In fact there had only been two prophets--Deborah (Judges 4:4) and Othniel (Judges 6:8) during this time period and only five revelations by God. (Judges 2:1-3, 6:11-23, 7:2-11, 10:11-14, and 13:3-21). Scripture says the word of God was rare and that there was no “open vision.” The few visions that did exist were not widely known. Amos calls it a “famine of the Word of God” (Amos 8:11-12). Psalm 74:9 says, “we are given no miraculous signs, no prophets are left and none of us knows how long this will be.”
At the time of the judges people did what was right in their own eyes and made up their own rules pretty much as they do today. Sin had closed off the revelation of God to people and even Eli’s sons were living such sinful lives that judgment was ready to fall on them. Eli was now a very old man and his health and eyesight were failing. But what is sad is that his SPIRITUAL eyesight was also getting dim. He wasn’t as spiritually perceptive as he once was. He began to let things slide in his own house with his sons. Maybe Eli didn’t really care if he heard from God or not. Are we like that today?
STORY: Aunt Lucy was losing her hearing and the doctor recommended surgery to correct it. She promptly vetoed the idea saying, “I’m 94 years old and I’ve already heard enough.”
Maybe Eli felt the same way. Maybe he had become dull of seeing and hearing from God as well. He didn’t care much one way or another anymore.
Samuel lived during this spiritually dry time. Many say that we are living in a post-Christian era. People are going their own way, making up their own rules and not giving God a second thought. You might wonder if you can hear God’s direction in your own life when surrounded by so many distractions and voices proclaiming doubt and unbelief.
Is it reasonable for us to EXPECT to hear from God and to EXPERIENCE His guidance and direction in our daily lives? Can we expect God to show us what He wants us to do? Many shrug it off and say, “You surely don’t believe that do you?”
What can we learn from today’s scripture that we can apply to our lives?
1. Make Listening a Priority: God communicates with those who make it a priority to listen. Many will say, “Well, if God speaks, why doesn’t He speak to me?” or “Why does He always seem to speak so clearly to old “what’s his name?’”
After listening to people you soon come to the conclusion that they are not really READY to listen. Too many other things to take care of first. They usually have an idea of what they want to be doing and waiting for God to tell them to go ahead and do it. “God, put your stamp of approval on my pre-written plans.” They are not open to hear what God wants from them but only what God can do for them.” Many people will deliberately say, “this is my time, my evening. I’m not going to take my evening to do this for the church. I’m not going to take time away from what I want to do... I’ll give God an hour of my time on Sunday morning and I think that’s enough. Don’t expect me to do more.”
Many of us are like Kathleen in this story. Even if we have good intentions for him to speak to us, sometimes the whole day is gone before we know it.
STORY: I need to do my prayer and Bible reading, but I’ve got lots of time. I’ll do it later.
I decide to do work on the car, start to the garage and notice the mail on the table. OK, I’m going to work on the car...
But FIRST I’m going to go through the mail. Lay car keys down on the desk. After discarding the junk mail, I notice the trash can is full. OK. I’ll just put the bills on my desk...
BUT FIRST I’ll take the trash out, but since I’m going to be near the mailbox, I’ll address a few bills...Yes,
Now where is the checkbook? Oops...there’s only one check left. Where did I put the extra checks? Oh, there is my empty plastic cup from last night on my desk. I’m going to look for those checks...
BUT FIRST I need to put the cup back in the kitchen. I head for the kitchen, look out the window, notice the flowers need a drink of water. I put the cup on the counter and there’s my extra pair of glasses on the kitchen counter. What are they doing here? I’ll just put them away..
BUT FIRST I need to water those plants. I head for the door. Ah, someone left the TV remote on the wrong spot. OK, I’ll put the remote away and water the plants...
BUT FIRST I need to find those checks.
END OF DAY: Car not cleaned, bills still unpaid, cup still in the sink, checkbook still has only one check left, lost my car keys, and totally missed my quiet time. And when I try to figure out how come nothing got done today, I’m baffled because...
I KNOW I WAS BUSY ALL DAY!
I realize this condition is serious...I need to get help...BUT FIRST...I think I’ll check my e.mail.
You might have expected God to speak to Eli rather than the young and inexperienced Samuel, but God saw the readiness of Samuel to hear Eli’s voice even in the middle of the night. Samuel was not preoccupied with so many other things. He didn’t have limitations and boundaries already set up. He was there for Eli and ready to hear and attend to his call. He didn’t say, “But FIRST I’ll do this and THEN I’ll get back to you first thing in the morning.” God communicates to us when we make His call a PRIORITY. When we are ready and willing to listen immediately--to lay aside our priorities and hear what He has to say. To be willing to let God INTERRUPT us when necessary.
In verse 19 scripture says that Samuel “let none of His words fall to the ground.” Once Samuel heard from God, he valued what the Lord had to say to him and didn’t shrug it off as being unimportant. He didn’t let God’s Word fall to the ground as worthless. I think that Eli had let a lot of God’s words fall to the ground.
How close are you to the attitude of “Speak Lord for your servant is listening?”
What words have you let fall to the ground this week? What opportunities have you let slip through your fingers either because your priorities were more important than God’s or you just allowed the day to be frittered away with this and that?
Many times people have regrets about not taking to heart what they felt they should have done. The Psalmist said in Psalm 85:8, “I will hear what God the Lord will speak.” He’s saying, “I will make it a priority.”
2. Start Where You Are--Not where you would like to be: Samuel was very young --around 12 years old--and very inexperienced in the things of God. He had not heard God’s voice before and when it came to him in the night, he didn’t recognize it. He thought that it was Eli calling him. In spite of his inexperience, he started by taking the first step to respond. Verse 7 says, “Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The Word of the Lord had not been revealed to him.” At that point he just didn’t UNDERSTAND. Later on he would but for now it was all a new experience. Here it was in the middle of the night and he thought Eli was calling him. He did the one thing he knew to do. He went to Eli and said, “Here I am.” He didn’t just turn over and go back to sleep. He checked it out with Eli.
STORY: Mike was watching the last part of the TV show when his Dad called down the basement steps, “Mike! Come up for dinner!”
Mike continued watching the show and ignored his call.
“Mike, Come up for dinner. Did you hear me?”
Twice he ignored his call. Just as the show ended, he shouted “Mike, Get up here now!”
As Mike leaped to the top of the stairs, he yelled “Where have you been?”
Mike looked at him innocently and said, “Dad, I didn’t hear you when you called me the first two times!”
Samuel didn’t ignore God--he responded the first time to what he THOUGHT was Eli calling. He responded the second time to what he THOUGHT was Eli. The same call was repeated and the same mistakes made a second and third time. Samuel still didn’t know it was the Lord. He didn’t understand the way God reveals Himself to people--the still small voice was new to him. He blundered one time after another.
How many times through our own inexperience we miss God. Yet because of Samuel’s response, even in a limited way, God saw his searching and continued to call out to him.
Three successive calls convinced Eli that it must be God trying to speak to Samuel and he gave him instructions on what to do if the call came again. He said, “if you are called again say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” It finally dawned on Eli that it was the Lord speaking.
God may speak to you in ways that you are not used to. Be prepared and open for the Lord to work at
any place
any time
and through anyone He chooses.
“Speak, Lord, for I am listening.” When you are open and responding He is able to clarify things to you. He is able to get through to you in spite of mistakes you might make. In addition to listening attentively, you must respond. When you get a sense of direction, make plans to take the first step. If you feel that God wants you to teach a Sunday school class, make plans to volunteer to do it. If you know that you could fill in a gap somewhere, be quick to step forward to do it. If you feel that God is calling you to get more education, check out a class and sign up for it. If you think God wants you to visit someone in the hospital, get in your car and go do it. Begin to respond to whatever you THINK God is wanting you to do. If you are wrong, he can clarify it just as he did in Samuel’s case. Start where you are. Not where you would like to be. Begin to take that first step of faith--then take the second step.
In verse 10 scripture says that the Lord came and STOOD--He clarified things even more as Samuel responded. He called his name twice--Samuel, Samuel. At first he called from a distance. Now he came and stood. When we make the effort to hear AND respond, the Lord will make sure we know more clearly. He will not just call once and forget about us if we don’t get it. He will call until we understand. He will get through to us when we are sincerely trying.
3 Bloom Where You Are Planted While You Are Waiting on God: Scripture says that Samuel “ministered before the Lord under Eli.” He was busy doing what he could do--he was blooming where he was planted. Many people are waiting for the BIG IMPORTANT things to open up for them and fail to do the small but EQUALLY IMPORTANT things while they are waiting. Samuel did what he knew to do at the time.
Are you serving faithfully at your post of duty? To respond properly our lives require FIRM COMMITMENT. Matthew Henry said, “We may expect God’s gracious visits when we are constant and diligent in our duty.” God called Samuel by Name. He called him by His Word. He was faithful in a little and entrusted him with more later. As a priest Samuel could only function at Shiloh, but as a prophet his influence reached from Dan to Bersheva, a national figure. Had Samuel not served God on a daily basis, it is doubtful he would have become the person scripture shows him to be in his later life. He didn’t have a Xeroxed copy of Eli’s ministry, but his own special ministry unfolded gradually over time. It doesn’t always happen overnight but in little bits and pieces.
Does the Lord know where he can find you when He wants to speak to you? Samuel’s OPENNESS and RESPONSE to serving God would soon enable him to know the Lord in a way that Eli’s sons didn’t.
CONCLUSION: The Voice of God is not silent in our day in spite of unfavorable conditions surrounding us. He speaks to those who make LISTENING a PRIORITY. He calls to those who will RESPOND to his voice by taking steps to act in faith. Why hasn’t God shown me what he wants me to do? It could be because He knows that you are not making LISTENING and RESPONDING a priority in your life. Or are you so distracted by your daily life that you couldn’t hear even if He did call you? Do your prayers most resemble a grocery list or a two-way conversation? How much time do you spend waiting on the Lord? Are you arrogantly saying, “Lord, if you can’t speak in 15 minutes to me, I’ve got to be outta here.” Do you give him the impression that you have other things far more important to do?
When you are prepared to follow God completely and with your undivided attention, you will know His calling. Maybe God has been speaking to you recently. Are you making it a priority to listen and to do what He asks you to do? Are you serving Him faithfully at your current post of duty?
Let us Pray:
