Homilist 1 Samuel 3:10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for your servant hears. I. AS THE AUDITOR OF GOD. "The Lord came and stood." The Great Father speaks to man in nature, in history, in moral reason, as well as in special revelations. This He does as in the case of Samuel. 1. Frequently. 2. Personally. Samuel's name was mentioned. God speaks to man, not in the mass, but in the individual. 3. Earnestly. Samuel's name is repeated, "Samuel, Samuel," indicating earnestness. God is earnest in His communications with men. "Doth not Wisdom cry? and Understanding put forth her voice?" Alas! though all men are "auditors," all men are not "earnest" listeners. We have humanity presented here — II. AS THE PUPIL OF GOD. "Samuel answered, Speak; for Thy servant heareth." Samuel's conduct suggests three things — 1. He became a pupil after having heard the Divine voice. The voice had spoken to him thrice before, but it is only now he has heard it as the voice of God. Before he thought it was the voice of Eli — the mere voice of a man. No man will ever become a pupil of God until he hears His voice as His voice. It is God's voice that rouses men to spiritual study. 2. He heard the Divine voice after having put himself in a right posture. 3. Having heard the Divine voice, he craved for further communications. "Speak, Lord; for Thy servant heareth." The man who really takes in one word from God, craves for another. God's word, really taken into the soul, does two things, (1) Intensifies its thirst, for further communications. One sip of the stream leads to desires that only the ocean will satisfy. The other thing which God's word does when taken into the soul, (2) Widens his capacity for reception Not only the more you have the more you desire; but the more you are capable of receiving. CONCLUSION. — Here are the relations which we all ought to sustain to God — auditors and pupils — listeners and students. (Homilist.) Parallel Verses KJV: And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth. |
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