“Speak, for Your servant hears.” (1 samuel 3:1-10)

2/13/10 (1Samuel 3:1-10) "1 Now the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation. 2 And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see, 3 and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the LORD where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down, 4 that the LORD called Samuel. And he answered, “Here I am!” 5 So he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” And he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” And he went and lay down. 6 Then the LORD called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 (Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.) 8 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. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 Now the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.” Samuel was busy serving God even from a boy"
I look at these verses and it really struck me that the Lord called Samuel three times and yet he didn’t recognize that it was the Lord calling him. I notice that Samuel didn‘t know the Lord even though he had served him from a small boy. “Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him” God revealed himself to Samuel and kept calling him until Samuel came to the realization that God was speaking to him personally. In the same way God was calling me my whole life and kept calling until I answered Him. I remember when Jesus revealed himself to me. I was sick with cancer for about 5 or 6 months when I got saved. I was invited to church by a friend of mine. The pastor was preaching about the grace of God then he gave an alter call and I responded to the call and received Jesus as my Lord and savior. I was saved then, but Jesus became personal to me about a month later. I was sick in bed and in a lot of pain and I remembered I had a bible that was given to me 5 years earlier from a high school secretary. I had spent a lot of time in the office visiting for various fights and skipping school. The secretary got to know me and when I graduated form high school she came to my house and dropped off a bible. I threw it in my dresser drawer and forgot about it. Then in my moment of weakness and sick as a dog from chemotherapy, I remembered the bible. I found it and read the inscription inside. It read “from Pat McKay Proverbs 3:5-8” I looked in the front to see where Proverbs was( in the past I only went to church for weddings and funerals). I read “ Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.” When I read this, instantly I knew that God was speaking directly to me. Here I was sick from chemotherapy and my leg was hurting from surgery because of bone cancer and 5 years earlier God had directed Pat to give me a bible so I could read it in my moment of great need! Then I understood that God had been calling/directing me from the beginning. I came to the realization that I was going to heaven and my sins were washed away and I was forgiven. Although I accepted Jesus as my savior I still held back some of my past hang ups. God had told me to trust in him with all my heart. The truth is I didn’t trust him. I trusted in me! I was wise in my own eyes! I didn’t depart from evil! Now the result is I am now separated from a beautiful woman who did everything she could to make our marriage work. Finally she left me out of desperation/disillusionment. I broke her heart because of my own selfishness. Now the Lord is calling me again. He uses trials to get my attention. Last time it was cancer and now it is divorce. The impending divorce is worst then any pain or heart ache I have ever experienced in the past. Lord God I am a broken man! I cry out to you for forgiveness and I have truly repented of my wicket ways. Lord I hear your voice calling me and all I can say is “Speak, for Your servant hears.”