And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you did call me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD had called the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 1 Samuel 8-9
Here in this chapter, Eli was old (and was in a state where he lost his spiritual eyesight) but still he was able to recognize that it was the Lord speaking to Samuel. It took time for Eli to recognize that it was the Lord speaking, but eventually he recognized it. Despite Eli's experience and understanding of God's ways, the Lord was unwilling to use him. What a bad state to be. God bypassed all the experience of Eli and started training a young boy from scratch. Imagine how difficult it must have been for God to train someone like Eli for so long and then have to start over with a young lad like Samuel. How many years are wasted. God is willing to wait until the unexperienced vessels are trained for his plan, rather than use readily available impure experienced vessels. God desires holiness and purity more than experience. God will use you as long as you keep yourselves – pure and humble.
How true is it in this generation as well? We have a lot of preachers with experience, like Eli, but God is unwilling to use them for his plans. God is bypassing all of their past experiences and exploits in favor of young Samuel's. Even though it takes time, He is willing to train inexperienced vessels but is not willing to use impure experienced vessels. God shared to Samuel; the things are beyond his age like the sins of Eli’s sons. How can a boy understand the sins of Eli’s sons, yet the Lord shared his heart with young the 11-year-old lad.
Although the Bible does not fully describe what God revealed to Samuel, we can understand that the Lord shared his heart to Samuel. Imagine a boy sharing the burden on God’s heart. Samuel did not yet know the Lord but yet the Lord shared his heart with Samuel. In this generation, the Lord is searching for inexperienced young Samuels (who live near to God's house) with whom he can share his heart.
Eli did not perceive that the Lord was calling until Samuel approached him the third time. Perhaps it was Father God calling him the first time, Jesus calling him the second time, and the Holy Spirit calling him the third time. Maybe the Holy Spirit that is calling Samuel, is the same Holy Spirit that reminded Eli it was the Lord calling. Samuel was the most blessed person, that all the three persons of the Triune God are calling and speaking to him. It’s so wonderful that Trinity is so much involved in this chapter. A three-layered wisdom covered with a three-layered purpose with a threefold cold that cannot be broken. Trinity is so much involved in calling the inexperienced lad. What a wonderful Triune God we have, that all the three members are involved in our lives. Father is involved, Jesus is involved and finally the Holy Spirit is involved.
In the house of God, Samuel was lying down close to the tabernacle. He may be fully sleeping or was in state of partial sleep. A small voice will not be enough to wake a person who is sleeping and partially sleeping. Only a loud voice can wake him up. So the Lord spoke in a loud voice and the loud voice resembles Eli's voice, which Samuel used to hear in the house of God.
Maybe the Lord spoke to Samuel in a loud voice that it immediately woke him from his sleep. The Lord’s voice is a small still voice, but in the house of God it’s a loud voice that wakes even a sleeping person. The voice of God so loud in God's house that it can wake anyone who is spiritual asleep. For this reason, it is crucial to visit God's house. God's voice is powerful and loud enough to awaken us from our spiritual slumber.
Eli even though he lost his spiritual eyesight, yet he did not lose his understanding or experience of God’s ways. He realized God was calling Samuel and told him a posture about how to respond to God. The posture is listening posture - Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening. It is telling (or requesting) the Lord to speak and that he (like a servant) is attentive to hear what he speaks. Eli learned this secret from his experience with God. When God comes to you, you should allow God to speak more, you should speak less and you should be in a listening mode. When God speaks to you, you should listen as much as possible, speak less, and let Him speak more.
Its allowing God to speak more and we speak less. Allow God to speak his heart and you simply listen without asking questions. The more you listen, the more God speaks to you. When God comes, you let him speak and you talk less to him, even if you may be dealing with a lot of problems yourself.
In this generation, we need lot of people who are in this listening posture. Letting God talk more while we talk less. God's words are full of life, whether they be promises, corrections, or information about other people. Make time during your prayer time to hear from God instead of talking nonstop.
