When Samuel was a young boy, he was living in a Tabernacle with a priest named Eli. Samuel would serve the Lord by assisting Eli. One night, while Samuel was asleep, he heard a voice calling his name, so he went to Eli and asked what he needed, but Eli told him that he did not call him and for him to go back to bed. Again, he heard a voice call out saying Samuel, so he got up again, went to Eli, and asked him if he called him. However, Eli still replied saying that he was not calling him. This happened one more time, but this time Eli realized that it was the Lord who was calling Samuel. So, Eli told Samuel that if he heard the voice again to say, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.” When Samuel heard his name being called again, he said what Eli had told him to say, and God spoke to Samuel.

Today, God doesn’t talk to us as directly as He did to Samuel. One of the main sources through which God speaks to us is through His Word. Sometimes, we ask God to answer us or speak to us, and we end up feeling discouraged by not hearing his actual voice, and we take the silence as God not hearing us or not caring about us. The Bible holds everything that God has ever said, so really, he is speaking to us all the time. If we were to hear God’s actual voice, we would probably be like the Israelites who heard God, and then begged him to stop talking because it was so powerful! (Hebrews 12:19) If you find yourself struggling to read His Word or maybe you feel it is overwhelming, you can always use a Bible reading app online, which comes with audio versions as well. There really is no excuse to not read the Word of God. It is such an important factor in having a good relationship and connection with God, and this is how we hear him speak.

Suggested prayer: Lord, thank you for always hearing me, even when it does not seem like it. Please forgive me if I ever become discouraged, and help me through that discouragement. Remind me of your presence in my life and of the hope of seeing you face to face. Please show me how to glorify You in everything that I do. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

1.    1 Samuel 3:9.

Today’s Encounter was written by: Gianna B.