Your First Call

1 Samuel 3 Devotion (05-25) Your First Call

Your First CallDwain D. Cox

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Good Morning Family, do you remember the first time you heard God’s calling on your life and how old were you? Were you at a crusade or bible convention? It could have been in your hometown church in the 5th isle beside your childhood friend or firmly placed on the pew under stern look of a parent of grandmother. Everyone will have a different encounter, and one might be on a walk to the market, another a scroll through the phone. However the call came, what was your answer? Let us read 1 Samuel 3: 2-9.

And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see, and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the LORD where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down, that the LORD called Samuel. And he answered, “Here I am!”

So he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” And he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” And he went and lay down. Then the LORD called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” (Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.) And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you did call me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD had called the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

Notice that each time the call came, Samuel responded with immediate obedience. For some of us this might hold some merit. Each time we hear the call, we might attend church or walk to the altar, but that is the end of our response. For whatever reason, we never say “Yes Lord.”

Now many of us might not recall the first time we heard the gospel as we might have been too young, but most of us will agree that we have heard it more than three times through various mediums in the western world. God is still calling you unto Himself. Each time you hear it, it is another opportunity for you to say Yes to the Lord, another extension of grace. Isaiah 55:6 says, Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. The fact that He is calling you, means that He is near, but you must reach out and answer. You must be ready to give your heart, your all to your Lord.

You might not remember your first call, but let this time be the one when you say yes whole-heartedly. Recall the song:

 I'll say, "Yes, Lord, yes" To Your will and to your way I'll say, "Yes, Lord, yes" I will trust You and obey

Come, join me in prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for another opportunity to heed your call, another opportunity to walk according to your will. Lord, for those of us who have not committed we thank You for Your patience with us and help us answer your call in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.