“(Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him.) And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you did call me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord had called the boy. – 1 Samuel 3:7-8 (NKJV)

As we continue our study in Samuel, chapter 3 we see that the Lord persisted in pursuing Samuel, calling on him a third time. This is a beautiful example of God’s patience toward those who don’t know him. If you have been praying for someone who hasn’t given their life to the Lord, don’t give up, and don’t get discouraged. God loves them even more than you do and He will continue to reach out to them. 

I Corinthians 1:18 tells us, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” It takes the Spirit of God to open the eyes of the blind to the truth of the gospel. Continue to plant seeds of faith and trust that God will send others to water and harvest those seeds.

This should also be an encouragement to believers who have concerns about their inability to hear God clearly. He will continue to pursue you as well. I feel like I go through seasons of time where I hear God more distinctly than others. At times I feel He is silent. I have learned that I cannot trust my feelings. Instead I must trust His Word. He doesn’t punish us by giving us the silent treatment. He is constanting wooing us and calling us to come away with Him.

“He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom” Isaiah 40:11 NKJV

The third thing to note in this passage is that it wasn’t until the third time Samuel came to Eli that he realized the Lord was speaking to Samuel. This could be a message in and of itself, but here are a few tidbits to take from this:

• Don’t rely on someone else to tell you when God is speaking to you.
• Your pastor (or priest) is a messenger of God to you, but they cannot replace the voice of God in you.
• God will speak to anyone who is willing to listen. You don’t have to be prophet or an ordained minister to hear from God.
• God will often use the leaders in your life to ‘confirm’ the voice of God.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that You pursue me with passion. I praise You because You are worthy of my praise, and it is such an honor to be Your child. Lord, thank You that you feed me like a shepherd, gather me with Your arm and carry me in Your bosom. I am safe and secure in Your loving embrace. 

Thank you Lord, for leaders who speak into my life. I ask You to bless them for their service to You and to the sheep You have given them. Give them wisdom and most importantly Your anointing. Help me Father to be a support and encouragement to them as well. 

Thank You Lord for Your love and desire for relationship. Forgive me for the times I have neglected You or allowed the cares and distractions of the World to steal away time I should have been spending with You. 

Lead, guide and direct my life, Father. Speak Lord – I’m listening.