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Tuesday, March 8, 2016

When God Calls, Joyfully Respond!



Have you had your Joy Juice today? If we are obedient to the Lord’s call, we will be joyfully listening for His voice.  

            Yesterday we talked about the young boy Samuel who was serving in the temple under the High Priest, Eli.  Eli had not done such a good job with his own two sons, and he truly desired to make a difference with the boy Samuel…to teach him the ways of the Lord…to train Him in the way he should go.

            God called out to Samuel in the middle of the night (3 times) and each time Samuel thought it was Eli calling, so he got up and went to check on Eli.  This shows that Samuel was an obedient boy. He was wrong in thinking Eli had called him, but he was right in what he did. Samuel came to Eli quickly because he knew Eli was almost blind and might need help.

            Let’s note that even though Samuel did not recognize God’s voice the first three times, God did not give up on him. It took the fourth time before Eli realized what was going on.  And then he used this opportunity to teach Samuel how to listen to God & respond.  Keep in mind that Samuel was a godly and obedient boy, serving God wonderfully. Yet, he still had to learn to recognize God’s voice. Eli gave Samuel wise counsel that we should all heed. Eli told Samuel to:

 ·     “Go, lie down.”   (Make himself available for God to speak.)
             ·    Eli said “If He calls you…”  (He was teaching not be presumptuous but humbly expectant)
             ·      (And then he told Samuel how to respond) “Speak, Lord, Your servant hears.”  

   When God calls your name, will you recognize His voice? Are you willing to respond with joy?

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