Honey From The Rock

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Honey From The Rock
Psalm 81:16

"Sweet Stuff From God's Word"

A daily Bible study with Victor Knowles
Copyright 2007

SAMUEL'S FAITH

This entry was posted on 04-02-2009 and is filed under FAITH.

"And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell you about...Samuel..." (Heb. 11:32 NIV).

As a young boy growing up in the church I was always fascinated with the call of Samuel. Perhaps it is because our family lived in the back portion of the church building in Hamburg, Iowa. Sometimes I would roam the sanctuary when no one else was there. I was fascinated by the light that came in through the stained glass windows or the sight of my father as he sat at his desk in the church office studying the Bible. Young Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli the priest. One night both priest and intern had gone to bed and the lamp had not yet gone out. The Lord called Samuel. Thinking it was Eli who had called, Samuel ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me" (1 Sam. 3:5). After the third call, Eli realized that something special was going on. He realized God was calling Samuel into service. He told him, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening'" (v. 9). Samuel did as he was told and the rest is history.

Do you remember the days when you could walk into a church building any time of the day or night and just meditate and pray? Crime and security have ended those days just about forever. But surely you can find a quiet place somewhere - perhaps even in the church during daylight hours - where you can focus on God, spiritual matters, and your life. Even in the night we can think about the call of God upon our life as we rest in our beds. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17 KJV). When God calls, be like Samuel: "Here I am; you called me ... Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening." Then go out and make a difference like Samuel did - one of God's members of the Hall of Faith.

Hymn: O give me Samuel's ear - the open ear, O Lord! Alive and quick to hear each whisper of Thy word: like him to answer at Thy call, and to obey Thee first of all! (James D. Burns in Ira Sankey's "1200 Collection").