Recognizing God's call

[mlg]

When I was a child, there were many nights that my brother and I would spend outside playing ball together. Even when it was dark, my brother and I would still be out playing...under the street light. I can remember times when dad would come and call to us that it was time to come in...but we were so wrapped up in our game that we wouldn't "hear" dad...or if we did "hear" dad we would often not recognize his call as being for us...

There was an instance of a child in the Bible who didn't recognize the call of his Father once:

3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;
4 That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.
5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.
6 And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.
8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.
9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
11 And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.
15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.
16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.
17 And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.
18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.
19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

Sometimes it takes many calls from our Father to recognize when we are being called. We need to learn to be diligent about hearing God's voice and recognizing His call. We need to eagerly answer Him, and let Him know that we hear Him. I mean noone likes to talk and feel like they aren't being listened to...Treat God the same as you want Him to do for you. If you want God to answer your calls...then make sure to answer His...and the only way you can be sure to do this...is to talk to Him often so you Know His voice when you "Hear" it.

[vahn]

Amen .

You know what struck me though ? God's calling Sam and he's running to Eli , isn't that we ourselves often do ? We hear a call , and instead of answering to the source we run and tell someone else "we're hearing things man ! " But thanks for sharing this passage , for in there lies the answer as to why some of us do that , in verse 7

Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.

It took Eli to tell Sam "it was the Lord , now you best answer !! "

Once again , thanks for the post I needed to hear it today !


In Christ

[Tam]

Amen mlg....we get so wrapped up in what we are doing that we don't really hear Him calling when He is calling (we just block it out)