Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’”
NL Daily Devotion for Sunday, October 17, 2021
by Dr. Kimberly Leetch, Clergy Stuff
Main Idea: God’s call is difficult because it is worthwhile, and we are up for the challenge.
I have noticed several interesting things in this story. First, that the boy Samuel was “ministering to the Lord” and living in the temple, yet “did not yet know the Lord.” It makes me wonder what they were teaching him in that temple, if not knowledge of the Lord? I imagine quite an empty set of rituals if these did not bring knowledge of the Lord to those being raised in the house of the Lord.
Also, I notice the Lord spoke a prophecy to Samuel about Eli: “For I have told him that I am about to punish his house forever.” Clearly this prophecy was not simply to inform Eli of the Lord’s intentions, for the Lord had already told Eli. The Lord’s words were meant for Samuel, maybe to test him to see if he would deliver such dire news, or maybe to acquaint Samuel with the Lord’s power and presence, to instill a healthy fear in the boy.
One thing is certain: when the Lord calls, the task is rarely easy. But I don’t think God’s plans are challenging just for the sake of making our lives difficult. I think God’s callings are difficult because God created us and knows we are up to the challenge, and because co-creating God’s kingdom on earth is a very big job.
I have responded to God’s call a number of times in my life—to move across the country to attend seminary, to have children, to take calls as parish pastor, to leave parish ministry to start a business publishing resources for churches. Each time the leap of faith was daunting. Each time it was worth every sleepless night. Each time the call had profound and lasting effects on more than just myself. God blessed me so that I might be a blessing to others (cf. Abraham). I have rarely regretted trying something scary and new (especially for the sake of God’s call), but I have often regretted not trying.