DAY 1 – OCTOBER 31

TITLE: “HERE I AM”

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READING: I SAMUEL 3:1-10 &19-21

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING: I Samuel 3:1-7

KEY VERSE: “Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, ‘Here I am.’”

I Samuel 3:4

Several years ago, when Amanda, our daughter, was a toddler, I remember a time when I started to tell her it was time to go to bed. She immediately put her little hands over her ears and said, “I can’t hear you, Daddy.” There were also other times that when there was something she did not want to hear, she would put her hands over her ears or sing loud to drown out the sound.

Samuel did not try to block out the call he heard. He did not ignore the call or deny it. Samuel responded with the words, “Here I am.” Samuel was available to respond to the call he heard.

The words of Samuel remind me of the words of Isaiah the prophet, who said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8. Like Isaiah, Samuel was available. He offered himself for service. Devotional writer, Andrew Murray said, “God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.”

I, the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin, My hand will save.

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.

I, who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them? Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of snow and rain, I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them. They turn away.

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.

I will break their hearts of stone. Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my words to them. Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.

(words and music by Daniel L. Schutte)

DAY 2 – NOVEMBER 1

TITLE: “YOUR SERVANT IS LISTENING”

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READING: I SAMUEL 3:1-10 &19-21

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING: I Samuel 3:8-9

KEY VERSE: “So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.” I Samuel 3:9

My father used to enjoy puzzles and brain teasers. I never really have, but I am going to share one with you. It goes like this. “You are driving a bus. You go east 12 miles, and turn south and go 2 miles and take on 9 passengers, and then you turn west and go 3 miles and let off 4 passengers. How old is the bus driver?”

In order to answer a brain teaser like this, you have to really be listening to what is being said and what is not being said. Careful listening is the key to solving this puzzle. When I first heard this, I tried to latch on to what I thought was the key information so I could answer the question. I paid attention to the directions and distance traveled as well as the number of people on the bus. Those seemed like the important things to me, but they did not answer the question that is at the end of this brain teaser.

As I looked at the obvious information given, I could not seem to answer the question. I tried to look carefully at the numbers to see if there was some secret hidden message in the number that perhaps, if added together, might give the answer. However, the answer was not found there.

The answer is in the puzzle, but you must have the ears to hear it. By listening carefully, perhaps by now, you have solved the puzzle. The clue to this teaser is a simple, three letter word that starts the whole question off, “You are the bus driver.” To answer the puzzle, one simply has to give their own age, for you are the driver of the bus in the puzzle.

Many things can be missed in conversations if we are not careful to pay attention to the details. Listening takes focus. The other night, I was talking with Amanda, our daughter, about her homework. She said that she did not hear the teacher give a particular assignment. Somehow she had failed to listen and hear the information that she needed.

Listening is so important in life and crucial to making relationships work. Listening to God is crucial for our lives. We have to open our hearts and ears to the Lord so we can hear what He wants to say to us.

God was really speaking to Samuel, though He did not yet recognize the call. He did not yet recognize the voice of the Lord. He went to Eli, not understanding that it was the Lord that was calling His name. Eli, finally understanding it was the Lord who was speaking to him, instructed him to say, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” Ask God to give you a listening heart so you don’t miss what He is saying to you.

DAY 3 – NOVEMBER 2

TITLE: “SPEAK, FOR YOUR SERVANT IS LISTENING.”

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READING: I SAMUEL 3:1-10 &19-21

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING: I SAMUEL 3:10

KEY VERSE: “The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’”

I Samuel 3:10

A Native American and his friend were in downtown New York City, walking near Times Square in Manhattan. It was during the noon lunch hour and the streets were filled with people. Cars were honking their horns, taxicabs were squealing around corners, sirens were wailing, and the sounds of the city were almost deafening. Suddenly, the Native American said, “I hear a cricket.” His friend said, “What? You must be crazy. You couldn’t possibly hear a cricket in all of this noise!” “No, I’m sure of it,” the Native American said. “I heard a cricket.” “That’s crazy,” said the friend.

The Native American listened carefully for a moment, and then walked across the street to a big cement planter where some shrubs were growing. He looked into the bushes, beneath the branches, and sure enough, he located a small cricket. His friend was utterly amazed. “That’s incredible,” said his friend. “You must have super-human ears!” “No,” said the Native American. “My ears are no different from yours. It all depends on what you’re listening for.” “But that can’t be!” said the friend. “I could never hear a cricket in this noise.” “Yes, it’s true,” came the reply. “It depends on what you’re listening for.”

“Here, let me show you.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and discreetly dropped them on the sidewalk. And then, with the noise of the crowded street still blaring in their ears, they noticed every head within twenty feet turn and look to see if the money that tinkled on the pavement was theirs. “See what I mean?” asked the Native American. “It all depends on what you’re listening for.” If you’ve tuned in to God, it doesn’t matter what’s going on around you, you can hear Him speak.

God had a mission for Samuel to fulfill. He had a word for Samuel to hear and respond to. When Samuel was ready to receive it, he was able to hear what God wanted to hear. When Samuel understood that God was speaking to him, he responded by saying, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”

I pray that those would be the words on each of our lips. In the darkness of the night, when the burdens of the day weigh upon us, may the words on our lips be, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” In the early clouds of challenging circumstances and pressure, may the words on our lips be, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” In the busyness of the day, may the words on our lips be, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” In the heat of the day, when circumstances are challenging and the day is difficult, may the prayer on our lips be, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” In the cool of the evening, with things still not completed, may the words on our lips be, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”

DAY 4 – NOVEMBER 3

TITLE: “NONE OF HIS WORDS FALL TO THE GROUND”

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READING: I SAMUEL 3:1-10 &19-21

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING: I SAMUEL 3:19

KEY VERSE: “The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground.” I Samuel 3:19

In his book, Resolving Everyday Conflict, Ken Sande tells about observing a visually impaired woman who resisted the repeated warnings of her loyal and protective guide dog. He wrote, “One day, during my morning run, I noticed a blind woman walking on the other side of the street with her Seeing Eye Dog, a beautiful golden retriever. As I was about to pass them, I noticed a car blocking a driveway a few paces ahead of them. At that moment, the dog paused and gently pressed his shoulder against the woman's leg, signaling her to turn aside so they could get around the car.

I'm sure she normally followed his lead, but that day, she didn't seem to trust him. She had probably walked this route many times before and knew this was not the normal place to make a turn. Whatever the cause, she wouldn't move to the side and instead, gave him the signal to move ahead. He again pressed his shoulder against her leg, trying to guide her on a safe path. She angrily ordered [the dog] to go forward. When he again declined, her temper flared.

I was about to speak up … when the dog once more put his shoulder gently against her leg. Sure enough, she kicked him …. And then she impulsively stepped forward—and bumped square into a car. Reaching out to feel the shape in front of her, she immediately realized what had happened. Dropping to her knees, she threw her arms around the dog, and spoke sobbing words into his ear.”

God’s call and His word call us to trust Him. Even when circumstances around us are changing and there are things in our life we cannot see or understand, we can trust Him. His word and Spirit will not mislead you or misguide you. In the changes that take place around us, we can trust Him. He will guide us if we put our trust in Him. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6.

We are to trust in God and His word. Samuel heard the word the Lord had for Him and responded to it with trust. God’s word did not let Him down. The Lord was with Him as He had promised. God and His word were trustworthy. The words given to Samuel by God proved to be reliable. God made sure that everything Samuel said with divine authorization came true. You can trust in the word of God. The psalmist reminds us, “The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy.” Psalm 119:138.

DAY 5 – NOVEMBER 4

TITLE: “THROUGH HIS WORD”

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READING: I SAMUEL 3:1-10 &19-21

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING: I Samuel 3:20-21

KEY VERSE: “The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.” I Samuel 3:21

God revealed Himself to Samuel through His word. God reveals Himself to us through His Word and through His Spirit. The voice of God is not silent. God continues to speak through His word and His Spirit. As we open our heart and mind to God, He will reveal Himself to us and speak to our hearts. Closed Bibles and hearts have hindered people from hearing the word God has for them. Open Bibles and hearts have enabled God to reveal Himself and say the things He wants to say to us. The Psalmist prayed, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in our law.” Psalm 119:18. I pray the prayer of the psalmist would be our own.

The Bible is a precious gift from God that contains 66 books, written by some 40 authors, covering a period of about 1600 years. The authors were kings and princes, poets and philosophers, prophets and statesmen. The Old Testament was written mostly in Hebrew, with a few passages in Aramaic. Christ quotes from 22 Old Testament books.

The Bible is greater than the printed page. Behind and beneath the Bible, above and beyond the Bible, is the powerful God of the Bible. It is more than the world’s greatest piece of literature. It is God’s written revelation of His will, conveying the redemptive plan of God for the human race. The Bible reveals God’s word to us.

It is a book unlike all others. The Bible is not a dead book. Scripture says, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12. The word of God is alive because the God of the Bible is alive. As reformer, Martin Luther said, “The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me.”

We are to look to the word of God continually for His guidance and revelation. History records that during a frightful storm, in the Georgian bay of Canada years ago, a ship was wrecked. Many perished. The mate, with six strong men and one timid girl, escaped in a boat, but the waves were high and the craft turned over and over until, one by one, the strong men lost their hold and disappeared beneath the angry billows. The mate, however, lashed the girl to the prow of the boat, and thus she drifted to the shore, where she was found by an Indian. The timid little girl did not escape by her own skill or wisdom but because she was fastened firmly to that which could not sink.

We can depend upon the word of God. Heaven and earth will pass away, but His word will not. God still speaks through His word and His Spirit today. Open the eyes and ears of your heart to hear what He is revealing to you today.