Samuel Learns to Listen
When the Lord first called Samuel, the boy thought Eli was speaking. With Eli’s help, Samuel came to recognize that he was being addressed by God and responded with a willingness to listen.
Speak, for your servant is listening.
(1 Samuel 3:10, NIV, excerpt)
The chapter records Samuel’s calling as a prophet. The message he receives includes judgment against Eli’s household, and Samuel must relay it honestly. Listening in this account involves receiving God’s word seriously, even when the message is difficult.
Read Scripture with a willing heart
As Christians today, we can approach the Bible ready to listen and respond. Begin a reading with prayer for understanding and a teachable heart.
Read the surrounding passage carefully. Ask what it reveals about God and what response it calls from the people addressed.
Consider your own application with humility. Welcome both encouragement and conviction, and seek help from faithful teachers when the passage is difficult.
Choose an appropriate response to what you understand: give thanks, confess sin, offer care, or obey a clear command. Let your attention to Scripture lead toward trust in Jesus and faithful action.
A prayer
Lord, give us listening hearts as we read Your word. Help us understand it faithfully and receive its truth with humility. Through Jesus, teach us to respond with gratitude, repentance, and loving obedience. Amen.
Keep reading: Sharing Scripture With Someone Who Is Learning · What Repentance Looks Like in Everyday Life.
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Come to Scripture with a heart willing to listen and respond.
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