"Our Full Attention"

   Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls to you , that you must say, 'Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
   Then the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel answered, "Speak, for Your servant hears."
   Then the Lord said to Samuel: "Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle."
   "In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.
   For I have told him that I will.......... " 1Samuel 3:9-13

"Speak, for Your servant hears." These are some pretty important words. Probably some of the most famous words spoken during this encounter between our young prophet in training, Eli the priest, and of course, the Lord. But ...these are not the only words I want to look at today. Check out verses 19-20

   So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.
   And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the Lord.

 Pretty cool, right? And its all because Samuel listened and obey Eli. He spoke these simple words, "Speak, for Your servant hears," to the Lord, and was firmly set on the path of a prophet. Samuel's heart attitude of obedience to the message God spoke in response to His listening heart reveals the truth I want to share today because, and here's the thing, it's not enough to just hear the words. You have to believe and obey as well. God had spoken the same message to Eli himself in the previous chapter but Eli just kept moving on without changing anything or even really reacting to it.

Everyone who calls himself/herself a Christian loves the idea of, being humble and declaring to the Lord, "Speak Lord, for Your servant hears!" We all desire Him to speak but and here is the thing, do we say it knowing that He is with us and He will speak. Do we say it knowing that is words won't fall to the ground? Do we remember that His words will prevail and that whatever He says, He will perform! If not then are we any different then the old priest, Eli who had already heard this warning from God and who had become somewhat indifferent to the word of warning that God had sent his way previously.

We, as His servants, must know that the Lord is with us, that He will let none of his words fall to the ground, and that He will established us as 'servants of the Lord' as we give His words our full attention and honor Him with our obedience.

"... for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed, ..." 1 Samuel 2:30