“SPEAK, FOR YOUR SERVANT HEARS!”

 1 Samuel 3:4-11                        (ESV)

“[4] Then the LORD called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” [5] 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.

[6] 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] 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 boy. [9] 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.” [11] Then the LORD said to Samuel, “Behold, I AM ABOUT TO DO A THING IN ISRAEL AT WHICH THE TWO EARS OF EVERYONE WHO HEARS IT WILL TINGLE.”

Have you ever thought that you NEEDED to hear from GOD to display HIS solution to an issue placed before you?  Samuel had been PLACED in the service of Eli when he was a very young child.  Eli was the Priest, sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the Temple of the LORD, ministering to GODS Children. His two sons (Hophni and Phinehas) were “rejected” by ALMIGHTY GOD and were killed in battle, along with 30,000 Israelites!!  The Priest Eli fell out of his seat and broke his neck and died according to 1 Samuel 4:18.  Suffering the consequences of NOT honoring GOD can be a perilous decision???

Samuel “hearing” GOD speaking to him wasn’t something to which that he was accustomed.  It didn’t take long after Samuel hear GOD speaking to him that Eli’s life ended!  Samuel was still young, but he was mature enough to understand that he needed to heed the WORD of THE LORD!  When Eli instructed him to say “SPEAK, FOR YOUR SERVANT HEARS” it was a message to Samuel that he needed to listen when ALMIGHTY GOD was speaking to him, even though what GOD has to say wasn’t “good news” for Eli and his sons!  

What GOD has to say to us might not be what we want to hear, but we still have to listen to the MESSAGE.  Hearing from THE CREATOR has to be monumental, but it also has to be a fearful experience when the HOLY MESSAGE is revealing Judgement on those who are being spoken about.  “SPEAK, FOR YOUR SERVANT HEARS” might be a painful MESSAGE to share, but we need to realize that we are simply messengers relaying whatever HE directs!  “SPEAK, FOR YOUR SERVANT HEARS” says that we are listening, and we NEED ALMIGHTY GOD TO SPEAK!!!