Does God Have Your Ear?
I Samuel 2:11,18,,26;
11. Then Elkanah went to his home at Ramah. But the boy ministered to the LORD before Eli the priest. 18. Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD, as a boy wearing a line ephod. 19. And his mother would make him a little robe and bring it to him from year to year when she would come up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 21. The LORD visited Hannah; and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew before the LORD.26.Now the boy Samuel was growing in stature and in favor both with the LORD and with men. (NASB)
I Samuel 3:1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD before Eli. And word from the LORD was rare in those days, visions were infrequent.Samuel hears from the LORD. He answers as Eli had told him. “Speak, for your servant is listening. Samuel tells Eli what the LORD has said. He hid nothing from Eli.
I Samuel 3:19 Thus Samuel grew and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fail.
In 1 Samuel, chapters 2 and 3, we saw Hannah’s faith in the God who gave her a son. She would also trust Him to watch over her child while she is away from him.
That would be a very difficult commitment for any mother. But Elkanah (and Hannah) went to his home in Ramah. Samuel remained and ministered to the LORD before Eli.
Samuel was probably 5-6 at the time. He was left with a priest and his two sons who were terribly poor examples of the priesthood.
His parents would visit Samuel each year and Hannah would make him a new linen robe.
With each year that went by, Eli’s sons seemed more and more evil. But Samuel is not affected by their evil. Samuel is growing in favor with the LORD and with men.
Samuel is busy in the house of God ministering to Eli. Until one night he hears someone call his name. Three times he goes to Eli and asks if he called. The last time Eli discerns that it is the LORD and tells Samuel to answer.
I Samuel 3:7 “Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor had the word of the LORD yet been revealed to him.” Samuel’s ears are now open to the voice of God.
The next morning Samuel reveals to Eli what the LORD has said and from that day forward God “never let his words fail.”
Lessons from Samuel’s life
- When we continue to grow in stature and favor with the LORD, our Spirits are more able to hear from the LORD.
- We are to be serving and ministering as we grow.
- We are to come as little children to the kingdom in childlike faith.
- We must keep our hearts and minds on what God has called us to and not look on the evil that surrounds us.
Samuel was born in some of the darkest days of Israel. A few weeks back I mentioned the Genesis story about darkness and God bringing forth light from the darkness. That darkness surrounded the universe but from the center of the darkness came “the light” who called forth light. The days of the judges were very dark days but into that darkness God brought forth a man of God, Samuel, from a barren woman to be a light for Israel. That man was a prophet, a priest, and a ruler. The people of Israel rejected him and declared they wanted a king. I Samuel 8:7, “The LORD said to Samuel, ‘Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.”
There was another time when there was spiritual darkness covering the face of the earth. It was a time when the King of the Jews was rejected by the people. The light of the world came to the darkness but the darkness comprehended it not. (John 1:5)
We live in a time when the darkness is covering our world. We are called to be the light just as Samuel was called and heard the voice of God. God has been calling us through so many ways. But are we listening?
Are our ears like Samuel’s tuning in to the message of God?
Are we ministering and growing in the favor of the LORD?
Or are we like the two sons of Eli — eating off the fat of the sacrifices and living totally for the desires of our flesh?
Samuel’s life was a life-long, daily walk with the LORD.
May we learn from his life and have favor with God.
In the midst of the darkest places God calls forth light. Is God calling you?
Listen!! I think I hear him calling!!
Freda Reynolds
https://youtu.be/WnDTDLOM0rY
Yours Will Be The Only Name by Big Daddy Weave
