March 9, 2024 - 1 Samuel 3-6

“Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli.  And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision” (3:1).  In Israel, during days of great disobedience on the part of the people, the prophet spoke for the Lord and warned, “’Behold, the days are coming,’ declares the Lord God, ‘when I will send a famine on the land-- not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.  They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it’” (Amos 8:11-12).  How terrible to hear nothing from God, to have the heavens shut up to us, and to experience only silence.  But praise God, he spoke through Samuel.  And the writer of Hebrews tells us, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Hebrews 1:1-2).  There is a God.  He has not remained silent.  He has spoken to us.  And in speaking to us, he has shown us the way back to him.

Master, speak! thy servant heareth,

waiting for thy gracious word,

longing for thy voice that cheereth,

Master, let it now be heard.

I am list’ning, Lord, for thee;

what hast thou to say to me?

Master, speak! Tho’ least and lowest,

let me not unheard depart;

Master, speak! for oh, thou knowest

all the yearning of my heart,

knowest all its truest need;

speak! and make me blest indeed.   -- Frances Ridley Havergal (1867)