The word of the Lord is precious in any age, but in Samuel’s day, it was also rare. Why?  Because no one was listening.

It was night, and Eli the High Priest had gone to bed. The child Samuel had also “…laid down to sleep;” (*1) when out of the darkness the Lord called Samuel by name. Well, to him it sounded like Eli’s voice to him, and he ran to Eli.

“…Here am I,” he said, “for thou callest me…” (*2) to which Eli responded, “…I called not; lie down again...” (*3) And Samuel went back to bed.

The Lord called Samuel again in the darkness, and again Samuel thought the voice was Eli and went to him. Again, Eli sent him back to bed.

The third time the Lord called Samuel, and again the voice sounded like Eli. Well, when he ran to Eli, Eli this time recognized that it was the Lord who was talking to the child, and so he said to Samuel, “…Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth...” (*4) That’s what he was to say.

Samuel went back to bed. And this time, the Lord came and stood and called as He had before. And when Samuel heard that voice, he said, “Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth.”

The Lord then revealed to Samuel the terrible curses that were going to come upon Eli and his family for not listening to the Lord’s counsel. And it came to pass as the Lord said.

In the end, Eli and his sons were destroyed, but Samuel “grew, and the Lord was with him,” and because Samuel listened to the Lord, the Lord listened to Samuel and “…did let none of his words fall to the ground.” (*5) Samuel became a prophet known to all Israel.

Today, the word of the Lord is not rare at all as it was in Samuel’s day, but given the times, it is more precious than ever. If we would know the Lord as Samuel knew him, then we have to live what Samuel said, “Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth”.