“And the Lord said to Samuel: See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family – from beginning to end. For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. Therefore, I swore to the house of Eli, “The Guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.””
– 1 Samuel 3: 11-14
Samuel was just a boy when he first heard God’s voice, and the message he received was difficult. He had to tell Eli, his mentor, that God was bringing judgment on his family. Years later, Samuel would face a similar moment with King Saul, delivering the painful news that God had rejected him as king.
Though moments like these were hard, Samuel did as the Lord commanded. He listened to God’s voice and obeyed, even when His message was difficult or uncomfortable. We may recall in our reading of 1st Samuel later on that Samuel himself felt the sting of rejection… not from God, but from the very people who he had been so faithful in leading for nearly 60 years (1 Samuel 8:7).
But unlike Eli and Saul, who ignored God’s warnings, Samuel had a heart that listened.
God still speaks today – through His Word, through His Spirit, and through everyday circumstances. The question is, do we have hearts that listen? Are we willing to hear even the hard truths and respond in obedience?
While Eli and Saul’s stories remind us that turning a deaf ear to God leads to consequences, Samuel’s life shows us the blessing of a heart that listens. When we seek God and obey His voice, we walk in His favor and carry out His will for our lives.
To the Savior’s gentle call,
With meek and loving heart reply;
For Him freely leaving all,
Gladly answer Here am I?
– Here I am Lord, by Reverend T.C. Smith (1894)
Former Blackout Artist 