Some of you who know me, know my background. My mother and father had me in church within days after I was born. I cut my teeth on the pews of the church on Highway 78 in Dyersburg. I took my first steps in a fellowship hall of church. My mom and dad were affluent members of the church. Dad was a deacon. Mom was a choir member and a kids church teacher as well. I think that over the past 35 years I may have missed 3 or 4 Sunday's. Many of you who are reading this can relate to that.
Here is what struck me so much about this scripture. Samuel was given back to Eli after he was weaned and he spent his time then being a servant to the "church" of that day. No doubt Eli had shared with him the workings of being a servant in the house of God. He gave him the rules to follow so others sacrifices would be accepted by God. This is where I want to belabor a point for a minute.
Samuel did not know the voice of the Lord. Therefore he did not know the Lord. He simply knew of the Lord. A danger that is facing the church today is people who have been in church a long time simply because it is the thing to do, but the do not know the Lord. The thought of my own children not knowing how truly great God is because they may somehow be riding on the fact that Dad is a pastor or youth pastor or deacon or whatever is a frightening one. That thought drives me to teach my sons and daughter about God and to show them his love every chance I can get. My oldest has accepted Jesus Christ in his life and so has my daughter. As for my youngest, he is still too young, but I look forward to the day I can pray with him as well to not simply hear about the Lord but to personally introduce him to a loving savior.
Being a Christian is not about simply showing up to a place where good things are going on. It isn't about how much you have done that helps other people. In the end, you must know the Lord. He is calling you. Place your name in the quotes from verse 6 "again the Lord called (your name here)" will you answer him and say "here am I Lord your servant is listening"? Once we get past the superficial, we begin to see the true greatness of almighty God. He is bigger than your imagination.
