Here I Am: Responding When God Calls Your Nameনমুনা

It is good for the aching soul to read about godly men and women in the Bible who messed up big time like we do and were still used by God. It makes us feel less like a hot mess and more like redemption is possible. But sometimes it is refreshing to read about the unwavering, too. They serve as beautiful examples that we do not have to keep repeating the same old mistakes and turning over the same struggles, that trusting God and walking faithfully in our calling is possible. Samuel is one of those people.          

To get a good feel for who Samuel was, we must back up a bit and explore the life of his mother, Hannah. She was one of two wives and the only one barren. She longed for a son and faithfully prayed that God would hear her prayer. While at the temple praying, she promised God that if He gave her a son, she would give him back to the Lord. Her prayer was answered with the birth of Samuel and once he was weaned, Hannah did the hardest thing any parent or person could do--give up their son. She followed through on her yes and Samuel was raised in the temple by the priest Eli.                               

Samuel’s “Here I am” moment took place when he was around the age of eleven, according to the Jewish historian Josephus. He was a child and the youngest of all the men who uttered this phrase, but already Samuel had cultivated a spirit that God could speak to. And He did indeed speak.                  

First Samuel 3 picks up Samuel’s story. That night, while he was sleeping near the ark, God called his name. Assuming it was the elderly priest who called his name in the night, Samuel went to Eli to see what he needed, only to be sent back to bed. God called Samuel’s name two more times, and each time the boy went to Eli. It was not until the third time Samuel came into his room that Eli realized what may have been happening and instructed Samuel to respond to the Lord.                   

This time, after Samuel responded, God continued speaking. He told Samuel that Eli’s sons, who were serving as priests in the temple, had been disobedient and that because Eli knew this and did not do anything about it, Eli’s house would be punished. What Samuel heard was not good news, and it was not necessarily a prompt for Samuel to do anything; it was God sharing His plan and communicating to Samuel he would be the voice of God to Israel.            

If you will adopt a similar heart as Samuel’s and be willing to listen, God will indeed speak to you. You might miss the mark the first time or two, just like Samuel when he mistook God’s voice for Eli’s. Perhaps you will move on something too early or, in spite of good intentions, maybe you will move based on what seems good to you. But if you continue to stay rooted and grounded in the Lord, listening for His voice, He will not allow any failure He cannot redeem.            

Imagine what God will do with your “Here I am.” There is a hurting world out there, and people all around you looking for hope. When God asks you to step out and lead by example, do not hesitate. Do not hold back your voice. Use it to declare His glory, and watch how your obedience transforms your life and the world around you.