Introduction

Good morning, dear friends. I hope this day finds you well and your hearts open to the divine wisdom that is about to unfold. There's a palpable energy in the air today, a sense of expectancy, a feeling that we are on the cusp of something extraordinary.

We find ourselves today standing on the threshold of a profound revelation, a revelation that comes to us from the pages of the Old Testament, from the life of a young boy named Samuel. The story of Samuel is a story of listening, of obedience, and of alignment with God's will. It's a story that speaks to each of us, inviting us to tune our ears to the divine dialogue, to heed the heavenly directive, and to harmonize our lives with the holy decree.

Mother Teresa once said, "God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer." This statement resonates deeply with our topic today. Like Samuel, we are called to listen with our whole being to the truths that God reveals to us.

Hearing the Divine Dialogue

In the passage we've just read, we see a young boy named Samuel. He's in the temple, serving under Eli, the high priest. It's nighttime, and Samuel is lying down to sleep. Suddenly, he hears a voice calling his name. He assumes it's Eli, so he runs to him, only to be told that Eli didn't call him. This happens not once, not twice, but three times. Each time, Samuel hears the voice, assumes it's Eli, and runs to him. Each time, Eli sends him back to bed.

Pause here for a moment: Imagine being Samuel. You're just a boy, serving in the temple, trying to do your duty. You hear a voice calling your name in the night. You assume it's your mentor, your teacher, the high priest. But each time you run to him, he tells you he didn't call you. It's confusing, isn't it? It's disorienting. You might even start to doubt your own senses. But here's the thing: Samuel was not mistaken. He did hear a voice. It just wasn't Eli's voice. It was the voice of God. This is where things get interesting. You see, Samuel didn't recognize God's voice. He didn't know it was God who was speaking to him. Why? Because "Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him."

First encounter: Samuel didn't recognize God's voice because he didn't yet know God. He hadn't yet had a personal encounter with God. He hadn't yet experienced God's presence, God's power, God's love. He was serving in the temple, yes. He was performing his duties, yes. But he didn't yet know God.

Knowing God: You see, we can't recognize God's voice if we don't know God. We can't hear the divine dialogue if we're not in a relationship with the Divine. So, how do we come to know God? How do we enter into a relationship with the Divine? Well, it starts with an encounter. It starts with an experience of God's presence, God's power, God's love. It starts with opening our hearts to God, inviting God in, allowing God to touch us, to transform us.

This is what happened to Samuel: After the third time, Eli realized that it was God who was calling Samuel. So he instructed Samuel to go back to bed and if he heard the voice again, to say, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." Samuel did as Eli instructed. He went back to bed. And when he heard the voice again, he responded, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." And in that moment, Samuel had his first personal encounter with God. He experienced God's presence, God's power, God's love. He entered into a relationship with the Divine. He began to know God. And from that moment on, Samuel was able to recognize God's voice. He was able to hear the divine dialogue. He was able to respond to God's call.

Heeding the Heavenly Directive

As we continue to reflect on Samuel's experience, we find ourselves drawn into the heart of his encounter with God ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO