Do Not Fear

Our Theme for June

(1 Samuel 3: 1-10)

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli.

The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.  At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; 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. 

Then the Lord called, “Samuel!  Samuel!” and he said “Here I am!” and ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am for you have called me.”  But he said “I did not call, lie down again”.  So he went and lay down. 

The Lord called again “Samuel!”  Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said “Here I am, for you called me.”  But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again”. 

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.  The Lord called Samuel again, a third time.  And he got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.”  Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy.  Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”  So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel!  Samuel!”  And Samuel said, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” 

Has God spoken to you?  Perhaps it was a sermon from your pastor.  I know that there have been times when I was shocked to the core.  Times that lead to true introspection and a distinct pivot in my life.

Maybe it was in Sunday School as a youth or an adult.  I know as a child, my father would drop me off.  Our church was not part of my neighborhood.  I was dwarfed by the immense, unfamiliar hallways, but somehow I always found my way to Mrs. Culp.  Every Sunday morning her smile and presence radiated Christian kindness.  I paid close attention to our lessons, and always looked forward to seeing her the next week.  I know heaven has a special place for her!

The beauty of God’s creation, do you hear His whisper in the wind through the lush forest or bountiful, sun spackled meadow?  Such moments give me pause, to stand in wonder and appreciation of His spirit stirring within.

Is it a co-worker or a neighbor that shares their faith in Jesus Christ?  The risen Lord and Savior, whose coming was foretold in the Old Testament, was born into the world to teach us as the Messiah, to speak for the Father, who will yet come again.

It could be with your interaction with a total stranger.  The person you paused to help out of a jam, or the less fortunate person that you assisted in some way, shape or form just like Mrs. Culp would.

I know God spoke to me as a child!  In my home, the lights were on, the bills were paid and there was food on the table, but I was on my own, without direction in my young life.  So I prayed to God, “Please send someone to show me the way.”  As can frequently happen, that prayer was answered, but not exactly how I expected.  God did not send just one person, but six!  Six coaches and/or teachers that shared praise, instilled confidence and taught the values of discipline, perseverance and teamwork. 

I am the person I am today because God spoke to me by answering my prayer and sending those six that showed me the way.

God in Heaven speak to us all, show us the way.  Send your Holy Spirit to stir us up.  To love our neighbor as ourself, just as you command us!

Amen.

Today’s devotional was written and recorded by Sam Barto.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.