1 Now the young man Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. 2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.

4-6 Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. And the Lord called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

8-9 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the young man. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” 1 Samuel 3:1-10 English Standard Version

Many who read today’s post will probably remember hearing this story when they were children. It's the sort of story that easily captures a child's imagination, but it's not just for children. It tells of the call of God to young Samuel to be His prophet. Notice from vs 1 when this call came. It was a time when there were few prophetic messages or visions from God. The days of Moses were long gone and the years which followed were by and large ones in which the nation stumbled along. While the lamp in vs 3 referred to the lamp in the temple that was lit each night, it was possibly also a description of the nation. By God's grace, the lamp of His light had not quite gone out.

That's a picture that can apply to so much of the world today. The period when the gospel flourished in many nations, including Britain, appears to have drawn to a close. The light of His word has become a glimmer, and near to going out. With agnostic humanism spreading and social media abounding, God's word is becoming rare, and few seem to be listening.

Because of the situation I've suggested, some might say that what we need is more prophecy and visions in the Church. Some would say that today's verses are a good example of that. But what can be forgotten in such an argument is that the Bible is an account of God's unfolding revelation to the world which would culminate in the coming of Jesus Christ. And with the coming of Christ, and the application of it in the writings of the apostles, God's revelation is now complete. What did Eli instruct Samuel to say if he were to hear the Lord calling his name again? (vs 8-9)

I suggest that, just as Samuel was told to reply that he was listening, so too what we need now is for men and women to listen to what God has already revealed, and to listen with full attention. The apostle Peter was with Jesus and two other disciples when “a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.'” (Matthew 17:5) Many years later Peter wrote to Christians “we heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with Jesus on the holy mountain. And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” (2 Peter 1:18-19)

We don't need fresh prophecies and visions - we just need to listen to Christ more carefully. Our daily prayer ought to be that He would speak to us through His word, because we are eager to listen. Notice too from the story of Samuel that there can be a difference between knowing ‘about’ the Lord, and knowing Him in a real way. If we have called upon Him as Saviour, let us call on Him too that we may have a listening ear, and a will to obey all He says.