I've been thinking about communication...

The Samuel Precedent

A friend mentioned to me how she finds the time of day recorded on my blogs very interesting. I have to admit there have been some that screamed to be written in the very early hours of the morning. Why did they have to be dealt with just then? Because when the Lord speaks to me, I have learned to say, in earnest, "Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening!"

I took the opportunity to share with my friend how God communicates to me by using The Samuel Precedent. To understand what I mean by that, I need to take you to 1 Samuel 3:1-9 in the Amplified Bible.

Now the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. The word of the Lord was rare and precious in those days; there was no frequent or widely spread vision (but that is about to change!)

The story goes on to record that the Lord calls Samuel in the night, but Samuel thinks it is Eli calling. When the Lord called, Samuel! And he answered, Here I am. He ran to Eli and said, Here I am, for you called me. Eli said, I did not call you; lie down again. So he went and lay down.

The Lord called again and again, eventually calling Samuel three times, each time with more intensity. Finally, the elderly Eli perceives just who is calling and he instructs Samuel about what to do. Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down. And if He calls you, you shall say, Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

Then the Lord once again called as at other times, Samuel! Samuel! And Samuel answered, Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening. Samuel then receives his first communication from the Lord.

So often the themes of my blogs are the answers to prayers I have breathed over concerns in my life. Regularly I ask Him, "What should I do, Lord?" And then, I wait, for the moment He calls my name. When He calls, many times during the night, I have learned to respond with, "Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening. Speak, Lord, and I will get up and run to write down the insights and perspectives You are giving to me right now. Thank you, Lord, for communicating to me. It is precious to hear Your voice."

I am not alone in embracing The Samuel Precedent. It is interesting to note that the Lord communicated with other individuals at crucial points in their lives, e.g. Abraham (Genesis 22:11), Jacob (Genesis 46:2) and Moses (Exodus 3:4).

So don't be intimidated by those who may not understand how God communicates to you. Celebrate His goodness to you and the fact that He knows your name. And then, listen with eager ears for His message because He changes the courses of our lives when He communicates!

The Lord told Samuel, Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of all who hear it shall tingle. 1 Samuel 3:11