The Men of Iron Minute
by Chad Zueck | Director of Content Creation
Hearing God’s Voice
God chose Samuel in one of Israel’s darkest times. Samuel’s mother, Hannah, had trouble conceiving a child. Making matters worse, Hannah’s husband, Elkanah, had another wife who could conceive a child. As you read this storyline in 1 Samuel, you can imagine the shame and emotional strain she was under. Desperate, she cried out to God and asked for her barrenness to turn to fruitfulness, and the Lord complied. Her bravery and faith do the unimaginable… she offers her son, Samuel, back to the Lord. She desired a child of her own, and she worshipped the Lord by giving her son into the Lord’s service—quite an unbelievable turn of events. The scriptures etch her remarkable prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-10.
In her ancient language, Samuel sounds like “requested from God.” She was true to her word, and Samuel was raised to be a valiant and faithful man of God who heard God’s voice. Eli mentored Samuel to be able to discern the voice of God, and Samuel would bring the message of God in a time when prophetic voices were few. This is how 1 Samuel 3:1, “In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.” Samuel was exactly what the people needed. When the word of God is rarely heard and prophecies rarely seen, bleakness and desperation run rampant. Samuel was called to restore people faith in God, know the truth, and to usher in King David. Today, as in their day, we need a prophetic voice to bring bold truth, and we need pastoral care to hold the flock of God together. These are dark days, and God isn’t through with us.
As the storyline of Samuel’s life unfolds, Samuel receives mentoring and learns to discern the voice of God. As a man learns to discern the voice of God in his life, it affects others around him. Samuel would become a man of outstanding faith, but before his roots went deep, Eli patiently taught him as a good mentor does.
It unfolds like this in 1 Samuel 3:2-11.
“One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. 6 Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8 The Lord called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 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. 10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 11 And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle.” 1 Samuel 3:2-11, NIV84
We need more men who can discern the voice of God in this generation, and a mentor can help you discern what God is saying.
Be a mentor.
Find a mentor.
Be a better man.
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