1 Samuel 3:7 Samuel did not yet know the LORD because he had never had a message from the LORD before. 8 So the LORD called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” Then Eli realized it was the LORD who was calling the boy. 9 So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, LORD, your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went back to bed.
10 And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”11 Then the LORD said to Samuel, “I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel.
19 As Samuel grew up, the LORD was with him, and everything Samuel said proved to be reliable. 20 And all Israel, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the LORD. 21 The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh and gave messages to Samuel there at the Tabernacle.
observation
Judgment had been pronounced on Eli and his sons in the previous chapter for their disrespect for the Lord, the Lord revealed his plans to Samuel in a vision.
The Lord chose to appear to Samuel instead of Eli the High Priest, Eli could have felt insulted that God chose to speak to Samuel instead of him. Instead Eli chose to instruct Samuel and guide him, one of the most important jobs we have is to teach our youth about God.
Eli pressed Samuel for the details of God’s message and he was humble and didn't try to argue his case before God.
1Samuel 3:18 So Samuel told Eli everything; he didn’t hold anything back. “It is the LORD’s will,” Eli replied. “Let him do what he thinks best.”
application
I must continue to be an example for my kids and encourage their passion to grow spiritually.
prayer
Thank you Lord for the privilege to work for you and to be an example for the next generation. I pray that they will be more spiritually minded than I was at their age.
