Day 74, or March the 15th. Here am I, but choose him if you want.
Our thoughts today are from 1 Samuel chapter 3 verse 9. So Eli told Samuel, Go and lie
down, and if he calls you, say, Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. So Samuel went
and lay down in his place.
That's the big picture surrounding this verse.
Today we are looking at another child who is dedicated to God as a Nazarite by his parents.
His name is Samuel. Eli is the priest together with his worthless sons, and baby Samuel is
given to him to raise.
A call comes to Samuel from God whilst he's still a child, but he thinks it's from Eli.
At Eli's instruction he responds to the call by offering himself to do whatever God
wants. In their ongoing war the Ark of the Covenant is taken into battle against the
Philistines and captured by them. In the battle both sons of Eli are killed, and the shocking
news results in Eli's death. This leaves Samuel as the leader of a nation which has
just lost its symbol of God's presence.
The Ark. And Philistines are still a powerful enemy, right on their doorstep.
And now our action step for today. By rights the call of God should have come to Eli, but
it came to Samuel. At least that's how it appears on first reading. Eli must have felt
hurt, but it never showed. Do you sometimes feel cheated when someone else is called instead
of you? I have to admit I have felt overlooked on occasions. I think we all have. I remember
the first time I stood as a deacon and being genuinely afraid of not being elected. I have
wondered many times since how I would have reacted if the vote had not gone my way. Check
your attitude now. Use a hypothetical example using someone who is not your best friend
at church. Could you take God choosing them instead of you? Why not ask God to prepare
you now just in case it ever happens to you? If it's happened already, ask God to help
you cope with humility and dignity to the glory of Jesus.