This morning’s scripture passage is one of my favorites, as it tells the story of Samuel’s call into the ministry, but when we consider the overall context surrounding this story of Samuel’s calling, we gain a much richer meaning. This is true for any biblical passage. The meaning and way in which we engage the scripture is much deeper and more meaningful when we understand what’s brought us to this point.
This is especially true in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament. The theme that stretches throughout the entire book of the Old Testament is the story of the Israelite people and their struggle to maintain their covenant with God as a priestly kingdom and a holy nation. God selected the Israelites to be his chosen people, not that they might enjoy the status of most favored nation, but that they might become the vehicle through which other nations come to know and experience God. The Old Testament is the story of their righteousness, their waywardness, their joy, and their pain in living out this covenant. It easily runs parallel to our own journey with God.
Today’s scripture passage may seem like the obscure story of a young boy’s answering God’s call, but it’s much more. Our story picks up during a time of great unrest. The Israelites have long been freed from Egyptian slavery, Moses has died, Joshua has led them into the Promised Land, and he has died as well. The book of Judges tells us that after Joshua’s death, the Israelites begin to disobey God, and as they do, they’re taken as slaves by one of the neighboring people. They then cry out to God, who raises up a judge to free them. They follow God, until that judge dies. They would then fall back into their wicked ways, be conquered by another people, cry out to God, and God would again free them by raising up another judge. This was the pattern of their existence, as we get to the book of Samuel.
At this time, Israel is a loose federation of tribes, facing threats from the militarily, superior Philistines. Not only are they facing these military threats, but also an internal crisis, because of corruption within the priestly house of Eli. Eli is the chief priest, and he is a responsible, upright man of integrity, but he’s got two sons who are described as scoundrels, for they have no regard for the Lord or the duties of the priest to the people. There’s grave concern over what the Philistines might do to them, but God is more concerned about what will happen when Eli dies and his sons are left to lead Israel.
Overall, the Israelites have very little concern in listening for God’s voice, and they have even less interest in expressing his will to society. Their worship has been corrupted for private gain. God was not a steady companion of the people, for they only cried out to God in crises. Our first verse of scripture says, “The word of the Lord was rare in those days.” They had abandoned God, so God wasn’t in communication with them.
It is at this point that we’re introduced to Samuel and Eli. Samuel is the son of Hannah. Hannah had been barren, and she prayed that God might bless her with a son, that she might give him back in service to God. She gives birth to Samuel, and at an early age, Samuel goes to live and learn from Eli. This is why we find him sleeping on the floor of the temple when God begins speaking to him.
Samuel has no clue what’s going on. Three times he hears his name called; and three times he presents himself to Eli. The third time, Eli understands that it is God calling Samuel. He instructs him to go lie down, and if called upon again, he is to answer and present himself as God’s servant.
God does indeed call again; Samuel answers and listens. God tells Samuel that he is about to punish Eli’s house forever, because of the behavior of his sons and Eli’s inability to control them. No sacrifice or offering will ever make it right. Their punishment is forever.
Samuel listens, takes it all in, and lies there until morning afraid to tell Eli what God has said. Eli insists that Samuel tell him everything. Can you imagine being in Samuel’s shoes? Samuel was probably ten years old, and he has to tell his mentor, the chief priest, that God is going to enact a permanent punishment upon his household. Samuel keeps his promise to God, and tells Eli of God’s impending judgment, but listen to Eli’s response: “It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.”
This judgment had to have crushed Eli, but he acknowledged that God’s will had priority over his own, and as such, he would not oppose it or stand in the way.
An amazing story, which still holds important truths for us today, the first of which deals with God’s call. God’s call, God’s voice, God’s direction. It doesn’t always come when we’re expecting it, and sometimes, God’s call is not always what we want to do. Samuel certainly wasn’t expecting this call from God, it didn’t really come at a convenient time, and he certainly didn’t relish telling Eli what was going to happen to his family. This message from God came during a time of national uncertainty and a time of spiritual waywardness, but many times the most exciting possibilities are presented to us during turbulent times. Too often, we allow the turbulence to overwhelm us and it interferes with our ability to hear God and seek His direction. The key is in our ability to tune in, listen, and obey as Samuel did.
In the eleventh century, King Henry III of Bavaria grew tired of court life and the pressures of being a monarch. He made application to Prior Richard at a local monastery, asking to be accepted as a contemplative and spend the rest of his life in the monastery. “Your Majesty,” said Prior Richard, “do you understand that the pledge here is one of obedience? That will be hard because you have been a king.” “I understand,” said Henry. “The rest of my life I will be obedient to you, as Christ leads you.” “Then I will tell you what to do,” said Prior Richard. “Go back to your throne and serve faithfully in the place where God has put you.” When King Henry died, a statement was written: “The King learned to rule by being obedient.”
When we tire of our roles and responsibilities, when it seems as though we can’t keep our head above water, when it seems as if we have an impossible task, it helps to remember that God has planted us in a certain place for a certain reason, and much like King Henry III, he expects us to be a good accountant or teacher or mother or father. Christ expects us to be faithful where we are, in both our vocation and in our service to His church.
God’s call will also require a spiritual challenge that will bring about some type of transformation. The spiritual challenge transforms you, which in turn allows you to transform your world. A spiritual transformation had to take place within Samuel in order for him to become a channel for God’s prophetic word. Remember, our scripture opened by saying that God’s word was rare, but Samuel is now being authorized as the source of God’s Word in what will soon become a period of radical transformation in Israel. Samuel is about to reverse the absence of God’s word.
He must prepare himself and respond to the spiritual challenge of being that channel for God’s word, that he might then lead the social transformation that is to take place in Israel. Scripture teaches that we each have the same calling. God’s call upon your life will be spiritually challenging. I can’t say what that challenge is. It will be different for each of you, but God’s call and claim is all about responding to the challenge that you might become equipped to bring about transformation in your community.
The New Testament tells us that as Christians, we each have a spiritual gift that is to be used to further God’s kingdom, i.e. bring about transformation. Now it may not be on the scale of how Samuel transformed Israel, but spiritual challenge and transformation lie at the heart of God’s call. Many times we assign call only to those who enter full-time vocational ministry, but it applies to everyone. Hopefully your vocation is a calling, and furthermore, I hope the ministries that you are involved with here at Chestnut Grove are a calling. It doesn’t just apply to professionals, so we need to be asking, "What am I being called to do?
The other half of the equation is how we respond to God’s call. First of all, Samuel was attentive. His demeanor and relationship with God was such that he heard his name being called. He was tuned in. Now, he didn’t immediately know that it was God. He assumed it was Eli. Eli was getting up in years, his eyesight was beginning to fail, and so Samuel’s response was to go to Eli. It took Eli a few times, but once he understood that it was God calling Samuel, he told him to go lie down and answer, if he called him again.
We can learn a great deal from this scenario. First, be attentive. Do what’s necessary to hear God’s calling: Bible study, prayer, fellowship with other Christians, quiet time. Secondly, when you feel a call or an urging or a nudge, seek out the counsel of someone you trust, someone who might be able to help you interpret what’s going on. Samuel went to Eli.
When I began to feel and experience my call, I sought out my pastor and also a professional counselor. They couldn’t tell me what to do, but they could listen to my thoughts and feelings and be a sounding board to help me interpret those thoughts and feelings.
Third, be obedient. Samuel heard what God wanted him to do, and we’re told that he was hesitant and afraid, but he did it anyway.
There’s the story of a young boy whose room was always a mess. His parents would ask him to clean up. He’d agree, but never do it. After high school, the young man joined the Marine Corps. When he came home for leave after basic training, his father asked him what he learned in the service. He said, “Dad, I know what the word “now” means.” Samuel understood "now" and obediently carried out God’s calling.
Eli also understood “now.” Eli had been the priest for years, and by all accounts, he had been a good priest. His name, his house was going to have its responsibilities ripped away, but Eli was mature enough and obedient enough to see that not only was this God’s will, but this was in the best interest of Israel. He put aside his personal feelings, his personal agenda for the betterment of the body.
Many Christians and many churches get stuck, when they’re unwilling to put aside personal feelings and personal agendas for the betterment of the body. This is what Eli did. Instead of mourning his loss and his place of service, he grabbed hold of what God was birthing.
Through his response to God’s call, Samuel became known as a trustworthy prophet, and he bridged the gap as the last Israelite judge before Saul became their first king. This young boy who heard God’s call and obediently obeyed proved pivotal to the Israelite story, in that he paved the way for Saul, who eventually gave way to King David. This is more than the story of a "religious" boy.
For the sake of the call, be attentive and be obedient. You never know where it might lead for you and those you minister alongside of and on behalf of.
