3 Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.

² One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. ³ The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. ⁴ Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!”

“Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” ⁵ He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”

“I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did.

⁶ Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!”

Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”

“I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.”

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. ¹² I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. ¹³ I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them. ¹⁴ So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings.”

¹⁵ Samuel stayed in bed until morning, then got up and opened the doors of the Tabernacle as usual. He was afraid to tell Eli what the Lord had said to him. ¹⁶ But Eli called out to him, “Samuel, my son.”

“Here I am,” Samuel replied.

¹⁷ “What did the Lord say to you? Tell me everything. And may God strike you and even kill you if you hide anything from me!” 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.”

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.

1 Samuel 3

Dear God, I don’t think I’ve appreciated verse 21 enough. That you continued to appear at Shiloh and gave messages to Samuel. There is so much in the Bible that’s recorded, but there’s so much more that isn’t. What all did you say to Samuel that we don’t know about?

I have an interesting task today. Is this something you’ve called me to? I am going to go on a regional news program this evening and talk about healthcare in our state (Texas). How did I end up here? I don’t know exactly. But here I am. I typed that accidentally, but it fits with this passage: Here I am. I won’t be talking about anything related to you, per se, so it’s not like I’ll be in front of inquisitors like Jesus warned about and the Holy Spirit would be with me to speak what needs to be said, but I think it still fits. This is important. It can literally be a difference between life and death. I want to be here for you. I want to be here for my neighbors. I want to say words that will move the needle and make the people in positions of influence stop and care.

Father, sometimes I try to look at grand things or larger parts of my life in these prayers, but today I just need you to walk with me. I need to remember to lean on you when I speak. I have a lunch today that will be talking about community needs with other community leaders. Then I will be doing this news program this evening. Help me in all of it. Help me to worship and glorify you, implicitly if not explicitly. Help me to remember to lean into you. Help me to know what to say and what not to say.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen