1 Samuel 3

Fall to the Ground

Posted on by Betsy

Our last devotional dealt with the call of Samuel and how he mistook God’s voice for his mentor Eli. As you recall, he eventually recognized that it was God speaking, and responded in obedience and faith by saying, “Speak, Lord. I am listening.” We are challenged to do the same thing in our lives … to finely tune our ears for the voice and command of the Lord.

What Samuel heard probably came a bit of a shock to the young boy. Even God acknowledged that it would make people’s ears “tingle.” The proclamation was devastating.

1 Samuel 3 (New Revised Standard Version)

11 Then the Lord said to Samuel, “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 For I have told him that I am about to punish his house forever for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering forever.”

Hophni and Phinehas were terrible sons, and Eli was a terrible father/high priest in that he neither restrained nor corrected them. They were guilty of stealing, embezzling, taking meat intended for sacrifices, and committing immoral acts with the women of the Temple. Eli had been warned about their apostasy and rebellion and did nothing. God had had enough. (See 1 Samuel 2:12-36 for the entire salacious story.)

Because they were given an opportunity to repent and save the house of Eli and rejected it, God shut off any chance of expiation by sacrifice or offering. This may raise a question for you about whether or not God would do the same to Christ-followers. I direct you to Hebrews 10:26, where the offense of rejecting the work of Christ Jesus for us would also result in no longer being able to access his sacrifice of our sins. Salvation and forgiveness are gifts of the cross, but you have to accept them.

Hebrews 10 (The Message)

26-31 If we give up and turn our backs on all we’ve learned, all we’ve been given, all the truth we now know, we repudiate Christ’s sacrifice and are left on our own to face the Judgment—and a mighty fierce judgment it will be! If the penalty for breaking the law of Moses is physical death, what do you think will happen if you turn on God’s Son, spit on the sacrifice that made you whole, and insult this most gracious Spirit? This is no light matter. God has warned us that he’ll hold us to account and make us pay. He was quite explicit: “Vengeance is mine, and I won’t overlook a thing” and “God will judge his people.” Nobody’s getting by with anything, believe me.

So Eli demanded that Samuel tell him the truth about what God had said:

1 Samuel 3 (New Revised Standard Version)

15 Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. 16 But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” He said, “Here I am.” 17 Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said, “It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.”

Eli declares defeat. Samuel becomes the last judge and first prophet of Israel. The Lord was with him and let none of his words “fall to ground.”

19 As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord.

Friends, when we listen and obey God’s word, none of our words will fall to the ground, either. Is God calling you to share your faith with someone before they reject the work of Christ?

Don’t delay.

God Calls by Michelle Robertson

You Called?

Posted on by Betsy

Do you think it is harder to speak, or to listen? Unless you have a true fear of talking, most of us would say it is harder to listen. A lawyer friend of mine made this comment at dinner last week. Given the amount of listening he has had to do in his long career, I think he speaks with authority on the matter. And as someone who talks for a living in court, he knows both sides. Probably one of the hardest things we do as friends, neighbors, parents, and spouses is to keep quiet long enough for someone to be able to articulate their feelings and emotions. It is so easy to jump in and try to verbally solve everything!

My church is blessed to have a program called Stephen Ministry. It is a ministry of listening. Stephen Ministers accomplish 50 hours of training and are assigned to people in crisis who just need a listening ear, an open heart, and praying hands. These beautiful folks are an absolute God-send to the congregation.

In our Scripture today, we see an almost humorous exchange between the old man Eli and the young boy Samuel. Samuel kept hearing someone calling him, so he kept waking up (and probably annoying) Eli as Eli tried to rest:

1 Samuel 3 (Common English Bible)

3 Now the boy Samuel was serving the Lord under Eli. The Lord’s word was rare at that time, and visions weren’t widely known. 2 One day Eli, whose eyes had grown so weak he was unable to see, was lying down in his room.3 God’s lamp hadn’t gone out yet, and Samuel was lying down in the Lord’s temple, where God’s chest  was.

A key point from this opening passage is that the Lord’s word was rare at that time, but God’s lamp hadn’t gone out yet. What hope that brings to the church today, as we deal with declining attendance, the predominance of secular and anti-religion attitudes, and an aging membership. We can also claim that God’s lamp has not gone out. Thanks be to God!

4 The Lord called to Samuel. “I’m here,” he said.

5 Samuel hurried to Eli and said, “I’m here. You called me?”

“I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go lie down.” So he did.

6 Again the Lord called Samuel, so Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “I’m here. You called me?”

“I didn’t call, my son,” Eli replied. “Go and lie down.”

Samuel was not the first and certainly not the last person who mistook God’s voice for someone else. Most of us can’t imagine God speaking to us and so we instantly look for another answer. Ask any minister and they will tell you the same thing: At the beginning of our callings, we were shocked that God was actually calling and leading us into ministry. I’m still shocked.

(7 Now Samuel didn’t yet know the Lord, and the Lord’s word hadn’t yet been revealed to him.)

8 A third time the Lord called Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “I’m here. You called me?”

Then Eli realized that it was the Lord who was calling the boy. 9 So Eli said to Samuel, “Go and lie down. If he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord. Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down where he’d been.

I love how Eli the annoyed became Eli the anticipator. He finally recognized what was happening and prepared Samuel on how to be ready to respond the next time God speaks. That’s what good mentors do. They help us hear God.

10 Then the Lord came and stood there, calling just as before, “Samuel, Samuel!”

Samuel said, “Speak. Your servant is listening.”

Our next devotional will delve into what God asked of Samuel, but for now, let’s pause and consider the young boy’s answer.

Speak, he says.

I am your servant.

I am listening.

Are you willing to listen to God? Is God telling you to listen to someone in your life who needs to be heard? As God’s servant in the world, where are you being called to lead or mentor someone in their faith?

Today, may we be like Samuel and simply reply, “Speak, Lord.”

Kitty Hawk Moonlight by Lola Hilton (a Stephen Minister!)

Speaking Truth to Power

Posted on by Betsy

The chaos of what happened last week in America’s Capitol is foremost on our minds today. How could this hallowed institution be breached by violent insurrectionists? How could a mob of thugs get inside the very tangible and visible symbol of our country’s democracy? Where did it all go wrong?

I don’t think it started to go wrong last Wednesday. I don’t think it started in November. I don’t even think it started to fall apart four years ago. Our deep and polarizing issues have been dividing us since the inception of our country, and our continued failure to address the issues that divide us brought us straight up the capitol steps last week in the form of blood and insurrection. Until we confront our national racism, the abuse of power, the advantage of privilege, the entitlement of the wealthy, widespread inequity, oppression, and injustice, we will continue to experience hurtful and damaging division.

Where we go wrong is when we fail to speak truth to power.

In this passage from 1 Samuel 3, we see a similar conundrum. Samuel is a young man serving in the household of Eli, who was the judge and high priest. God’s word was not heard much in those days, but the presence of God was still in the temple, where Samuel served. Eli’s sons had committed many sins against God, using their privilege and entitlement as “sons of the high priest” as their cover. Eli had been warned that his household was about to fall apart due to their rebellion. Finally God spoke directly to young Samuel:

1 Samuel 3 (Common English Bible)

11 The Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of all who hear it tingle! 12 On that day, I will bring to pass against Eli everything I said about his household—every last bit of it! 13 I told him that I would punish his family forever because of the wrongdoing he knew about—how his sons were cursing God, but he wouldn’t stop them. 14 Because of that I swore about Eli’s household that his family’s wrongdoing will never be reconciled by sacrifice or by offering.”

15 Samuel lay there until morning, then opened the doors of the Lord’s house. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. 16 But Eli called Samuel, saying: “Samuel, my son!”

“I’m here,” Samuel said.

17 “What did he say to you?” Eli asked. “Don’t hide anything from me. May God deal harshly with you and worse still if you hide from me a single word from everything he said to you.”18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him.

“He is the Lord, ” Eli said. “He will do as he pleases.”

19 So Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, not allowing any of his words to fail. 20 All Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was trustworthy as the Lord’s prophet.

When we find ourselves in a situation where God is calling us to speak truth to power, we must remember Samuel. His obedience to say the harsh word to someone who had authority over him was blessed by God. For the rest of his days, the Lord was with him and did not allow any of his words to fail.

Where is God calling you to speak out? Is there a situation in your family that needs resolution? Are you suffering in your workplace because of unfair policies or discrimination? Is your marriage or relationship off-kilter because your partner is too controlling and causing you harm? Is it time to email your Congressional leadership and demand change?

Samuel teaches us that being trustworthy to the Lord’s message is more important than anything else. When you speak for God, he will be with you, always.

It’s time to speak up.

Purple Mountains Majesty by Kathy Schumacher