Speak, Lord
Today's focusAt a time when God's word was rare, the Lord calls the boy Samuel again and again, and Eli teaches him to answer, 'Speak; for thy servant heareth.'
Read
1And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision. 2And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; 3And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; 4That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. 5And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. 6And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. 7Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him. 8And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child. 9Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
Reflection
In the days of Samuel, the passage tells us that "the word of the LORD was precious" and "there was no open vision." While things were quiet and spiritual sight seemed to "wax dim," God was not absent. He was simply preparing to speak in a new way. You may sometimes feel you are in a season of silence, yet this story reminds you that the Lord is attentive to you even in the stillness.
God called out to Samuel again and again, showing a patient persistence. Even though Samuel "did not yet know the LORD" and mistook the divine voice for Eli’s, God did not stop calling. He meets you where you are, even when you are still learning to recognize His voice. With the help of Eli, the boy learned the most important response a heart can offer: "Speak; for thy servant heareth." As you go through your day, remember that God is willing to speak to those who are ready to listen. Like Samuel, you can find peace in simply being available to Him.
AI-written reflection on the passage above. Let Scripture itself be the main thing.
Reflect
What would it look like to make quiet space each day of this fast simply to listen to God through his word?
Pray
Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. Quieten the noise in my mind and heart. Thank you for people who help me recognise your voice.