When I was a child I had a storybook about Samuel. The picture that accompanied this part of the story showed Samuel sitting up in a fairly comfortable bed next to a window when he heard his name being called.

Scripture reveals something quite different. Samuel – a young boy of probably 12 or 13 years old – was not sleeping in a bed in his own bedroom at all. He was sleeping in the temple of the Lord, near to the place where the Ark of the Covenant was. He was sleeping literally in the presence of God.

There’s something else striking about this passage too. As a parent, I am quite familiar with hearing my name called in the middle of the night. I often go to answer the call with extreme reluctance. Not so Samuel. Scripture records that he actually ran to Eli, who he assumed was the one calling his name. Samuel was keen, and eager to serve, despite the lateness of the hour. Once Eli understood what was happening, he gave Samuel instructions, which Samuel followed exactly. Once Samuel had obeyed Eli, he received a revelation from the Lord.

We are told that this was a time in Israel’s history when revelations from the Lord were quite unusual. Few had heard his voice and his call, yet Samuel heard both. Why?

Well, he was determined to be close to God, even at night. He was eager to respond to the call and to serve. Finally, he was obedient. If we are keen to experience the revelation of God in our lives, homes, churches and communities, we would do well to compare our readiness to Samuel’s. The Lord sees where our heart is, and knows what our response to his call is likely to be. Let us position ourselves to be ready to hear, to respond and to obey.

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NEWBOLD BAPTIST CHURCH