What if God is Calling you? - 1 Samuel 3:1-10

THEME: WHAT IF GOD IS TRYING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING?” Topic 1: WHAT IF GOD IS CALLING YOU? “Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth.” 1 Samuel 3:1–10 Have you ever wondered what it would be like if God called your name? In 1 Samuel 3, Samuel was sleeping when he heard his name: “Samuel!” He immediately got up and went to Eli, thinking Eli had called him. This happened three times before Eli realised that it was God calling the young Samuel. Eli then instructed him, “Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth.” When God called again, Samuel responded, “Speak; for thy servant heareth.” That simple response gives us a powerful lesson for today. What if God is calling you? God may not call us audibly as He called Samuel, but He speaks to us through His Word. Hebrews 1:1–2 tells us that God has spoken to us through His Son. The challenge is that we live in a world filled with competing voices. Friends speak. Culture speaks. Social media speaks. Our desires speak. Sometimes, our own opinions speak louder than God's Word. The question is therefore not simply, “Is God speaking?” The question is, “Am I listening?” James 1:22 says, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.” We can hear God's Word every Sunday, read the Bible regularly, and still fail to obey what we have heard. Samuel did not merely hear God. He responded. Maybe God is calling you to change something in your life. Maybe there is a sin you have been excusing, an attitude that needs correction, or a habit you know you must abandon. Acts 3:19 says, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.” Maybe God is calling you to forgive someone, serve someone, encourage someone, or take your faith more seriously. You may think, “Someone else can do it.” But what if God is calling you? Samuel was young and inexperienced, yet God had a purpose for him. God does not always require people who feel ready. He looks for people who are willing. There is also a danger in repeatedly hearing God's Word without responding. We can become so familiar with sermons, Bible classes, and invitations that they no longer move us. We keep saying, “I will do it tomorrow.” But tomorrow is not guaranteed. Perhaps the most important question today is whether God is calling you to salvation. Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). When the people heard the gospel on Pentecost and asked what they should do, Peter answered, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). The New Testament teaches us to hear the gospel, believe in Christ, repent of our sins, confess our faith, and be baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of sins. If you have never obeyed the gospel, perhaps this is more than another devotional. Perhaps God is calling you. Do not allow fear, pride, people, or procrastination to keep you from responding. And if you have obeyed the gospel but have wandered away, perhaps God is calling you back. So, as you begin this day, ask yourself: “What has God been telling me that I have been refusing to hear?” Whatever the answer may be, do not ignore His voice. Let your prayer today be the prayer of Samuel: “Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth.” And when God speaks, may we have the humility to listen, the courage to obey, and the faith to follow.