I woke on Labor Day to God telling me to read the scriptures of when he called Samuel. My mind remembered that He called Samuel at a young age. I went and read the scriptures because I knew there was something that God was telling me.
In the book of I Samuel 3, God calls the boy Samuel. In Verse 7 it tells us that Samuel did not yet know the Lord. A previous versus states that God called him twice. What do we do with people when they don’t yet know the Lord but He is calling them? Our answer comes in Verse 8 where Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. Many of us got to church and believe in God but there are others that don’t. Eli is a leader and teacher. He was appointed to teach Samuel the ways of God, how to live upright even when the world is not.
I’ve been blessed both in the natural and spiritual to have both a birth family and spiritual family to love me with all my flaws. These families will straighten you out when you are walking the wrong path in life. Yet, I learned that it’s up to me to be obedient to the teaching. Four times the Lord called and Samuel got up and ran to Eli to hear what his leader wanted of him. Four times he heard the call and without any haste he went to hear what his leader needed of him. God has placed people in our lives in and out of church to show us His will and calling. But it’s up to us to be available to him. That’s our part.
The part of the one that you are running to is different. He or she must be available to know and hear from God to help lead you on this path. Eli had his faults and would be dealt with because of them but they didn’t stop him from teaching Samuel the right way. If you’ve been called to teach His people then know what you are teaching. You yourself must spend time bending your will to that of God’s. Your hearing from God isn’t always about you. I’m willing to bet, it’s mostly not about you. Teach the Word all the time to those that know it and those that don’t. Be ye ready to do God’s will each day, all day. Your faults should never stop you from being obedient. It took Eli time to realize that God was calling the boy Samuel. Who is around you that God is calling? Are you paying attention that they keep coming to you when they hear the call and asking you questions? Pay attention. God may be putting you in a season of Eli to someone else’s Samuel.
And, don’t direct them to a particular house of worship. Direct them to the kingdom of God. True disciples could care less which House of God a person goes to (as long as it’s a bible teaching, God preaching house). Your house of worship may work for you but it doesn’t mean it’ll work for them. Not because there’s something wrong with either of you but maybe just maybe their gifting is needed elsewhere.
The Bible teaches us that there is a season for everything under the sun (Ecc 3). Is it your season to be the iron that sharpens another or your season to be sharpened? Whichever season you are in, embrace it with all the love you have in your heart and never waiver or doubt Gods call for you.