We might ask what is this devotion between God and ourselves? And how crucial is it for our personal spiritual growth? For me it is becoming aware of One reaching out to call me by name and looking to reveal devotional intimacy divine. To all who are listening for it, the call to such devotion comes in God’s time.
Samuel is an important figure in the Old Testament. I Samuel Chapter 3 describes a significant moment in his early spiritual formation. The story of young Samuel is important to us in that it references the possibility of, and a pathway towards, a personal relationship with God, and how a novice devotee may profit from prompt advice. Have a look.
In those days, when the boy Samuel was serving the Lord under the direction of Eli, there were very few messages from the Lord, and visions from him were quite rare. One night Eli, who was now almost blind, was sleeping in his own room; Samuel was sleeping in the sanctuary, where the sacred Covenant Box was. Before dawn, while the lamp was still burning, the Lord called Samuel. He answered, “Yes, sir!” and ran to Eli and said, “You called me, and here I am.” But Eli answered, “I didn’t call you; go back to bed.”
The Lord called Samuel again. The boy did not know that it was the Lord, because the Lord had never spoken to him before. So he got up, went to Eli, and said, “You called me, and here I am.” But Eli answered, “My son, I didn’t call you; go back to bed.”
The Lord called Samuel a third time; he got up, went to Eli, and said, “You called me, and here I am.” Then Eli realised that it was the Lord who was calling the boy, so he said to him, “Go back to bed; and if he calls you again, say, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’ ” So, Samuel went back to bed.
The Lord came and stood there, and called as he had before, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak; your servant is listening.”
You may like to read it again. This time try to insert yourself into the text. You be Samuel. Let his moments in the story be yours. Then recount the story as if you were going to share it with a trusted friend. Take plenty of time. Plenty of time means waiting for it to affect and happen to you. Do not force yourself. Wait on God.
Then reflect: How did you get on? For instance, did you hear yourself asking: Speak, Lord, your servant is listening? Did you hear in your mind a voice calling you?
This exercise has obvious practical validity. At liturgies we sing the lyrics of “Here I Am, Lord“, a Christian hymn written by an American composer of Catholic liturgical music Dan Schutte in 1979 and published in 1981. Its words are based on Isaiah 6:8 and 1 Samuel 3:4,
Here I am, Lord
Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night
I will go, Lord
If You lead me
I will hold Your people in my heart.
Suggestion: Pause here, go back to the scripture above, put yourself in the place of Samuel, and BE SAMUEL.
