Calling, and Calling, and Calling

Calling. When I think about calling, I think about being back at the farm and being called for supper. I hear dad calling at the top of lungs, "supppppppppppeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrr." I heard it loud and clear. Sometimes when I'm at the farm, dad will call me to wake up, "Heeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyy, LETS GO!" Usually one call is all I get. Sometimes I'm too sound asleep to hear (he doesn't believe me). There are some days where I ignore the call for a bit before I respond (and I know I shouldn't).

A sleeping Samuel was sliently slumbering, when suddenly he heard the sound of summoning. "Eli, here I am. What do you want?" Eli repsonded, "I didn't call so go back to bed." Samuel went back to sleep. Three times this happened. One the third visit Eli told Samuel that it was the Lord, and to say, "Speak Lord, thy servant heareth" (1 Samuel 3:9). At the fourth call, Samuel was ready. Samuel was fortunate to get four calls, since it seems Eli had forgotten how to determine the voice of the Lord

Do we readily know the voice of the Lord? Samuel had not yet known the voice of the Lord. Words from the Lord were precious in those days (1 Samuel 3:1). We can know the voice of the Lord through knowing the word of the Lord. The Lord can speak to us through the word of God. It is after all, "the word of God." "Oh Lord," we should pray before we read, "let me hear your voice today." Hearing the voice of the Lord helps us to know that we are following in the ways of Righteousness.

Eli was out of touch with God. He had two wicked sons, Hophni and Phinehas, which pushed Eli towards wickedness. Eli had lost control of his sons and, I would determine, consented unto their evil. The sons robbed God of what was His by stealing the fat and meat that was part of the sacrifice of the people to the Lord (1 Samuel 12:12-17). Eli was likely a partaker of this stolen meat, although he may not have known since he was blind (1 Samuel 2:29). Eli allowed the ark of the covenant to be taken from the tabernacle, since it was his duty to keep it and his boys took it. He in his heart, knew that what he allowed was not right (1 Samuel 4:13). "The ark is stolen," are the last words he heard before he died. What a disappointing end to life. The last words of Eli's daughter-in-law were, "The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken." What a dismal ending. The Lord God no longer had a thrown, the mercy seat, in Israel.

How can we be sure this doesn't happen to us? How can we be sure to stay in fellowship with God? The secret formula isn't anything new. Read, pray, confess our sins to God, obey, read, pray, confess our sins to God and obey. If you don't like that, you can always change up the order. Hear the call, and obey.

Here's four verses to help you in closing:

1. Reading (listening) - Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. (Psalm 119:9)

2. Praying (speaking) - But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. (Jude 20-21)

3. Confessing (cleansing) - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

4. Obeying (action) - And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)