Great breakthroughs come in the darkest hour.
"word from the LORD was rare in those days, visions were infrequent. It happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well), and the lamp of God had not yet gone out" (1 Samuel 3:1-3)
What a dismal picture! Sin and disobedience hindered the word and vision of God, and an elderly priest with dimmed eyesight was a fitting illustration of the spiritual darkness of those days. These were the days preceding the extinguishing of the flame of the lamp of God. Spiritually, the scene was about to fade to black.
But, amidst this depressing darkness was the flicker of a flame of hope. A young boy named Samuel was chosen to hear the voice of the LORD. After three missteps in hearing God's voice, Samuel was instructed by elderly Eli to declare, "Speak, for Your servant is listening." (1 Samuel 3:10). And he listened, and God instructed. And from that time on, "Samuel grew and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fail. All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the LORD." (1 Samuel 3:19-20).
No matter how dark the times or circumstances, God will not be silent. The sin and disobedience of the majority will not silence God's voice when it is most desperately needed. He will find those who are obedient to convey the authority of His word.
Our world today needs Samuels. As His obedient people who are "ministering to the Lord" (1 Samuel 3:1), we need to be ready to hear His authoritative voice in our service and devotion to His word. We need to live, study, and serve with a sense of expectancy, that this might be the moment when His word breaks through with fresh clarity and authority. We live in an age of unprecedented political and social unrest, and epic natural disasters. End-time darkness is creeping over the land; "the lamp of the LORD" appears to be going out. But we have the privilege of hearing and declaring the good news of the bright future of the kingdom of God at this desperate time. In fact, the good news has never shone brighter than in this present darkness.
We are the modern-day Samuels. May we be eager to hear the voice of the LORD: "Speak, for Your servant is listening." And, may we be ready to respond faithfully in declaring both His message of coming judgment and bright hope for those who will respond.
Steve
© 2011, Steve Taylor
"word from the LORD was rare in those days, visions were infrequent. It happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well), and the lamp of God had not yet gone out" (1 Samuel 3:1-3)
What a dismal picture! Sin and disobedience hindered the word and vision of God, and an elderly priest with dimmed eyesight was a fitting illustration of the spiritual darkness of those days. These were the days preceding the extinguishing of the flame of the lamp of God. Spiritually, the scene was about to fade to black.
But, amidst this depressing darkness was the flicker of a flame of hope. A young boy named Samuel was chosen to hear the voice of the LORD. After three missteps in hearing God's voice, Samuel was instructed by elderly Eli to declare, "Speak, for Your servant is listening." (1 Samuel 3:10). And he listened, and God instructed. And from that time on, "Samuel grew and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fail. All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the LORD." (1 Samuel 3:19-20).
No matter how dark the times or circumstances, God will not be silent. The sin and disobedience of the majority will not silence God's voice when it is most desperately needed. He will find those who are obedient to convey the authority of His word.
Our world today needs Samuels. As His obedient people who are "ministering to the Lord" (1 Samuel 3:1), we need to be ready to hear His authoritative voice in our service and devotion to His word. We need to live, study, and serve with a sense of expectancy, that this might be the moment when His word breaks through with fresh clarity and authority. We live in an age of unprecedented political and social unrest, and epic natural disasters. End-time darkness is creeping over the land; "the lamp of the LORD" appears to be going out. But we have the privilege of hearing and declaring the good news of the bright future of the kingdom of God at this desperate time. In fact, the good news has never shone brighter than in this present darkness.
We are the modern-day Samuels. May we be eager to hear the voice of the LORD: "Speak, for Your servant is listening." And, may we be ready to respond faithfully in declaring both His message of coming judgment and bright hope for those who will respond.
Steve
© 2011, Steve Taylor
posted by steve @ 9:25 AM
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