Come in out of the cold and join us for service on Sunday, January 14 at 10 am.  Sunday school runs during the church service.  Coffee is served after the service in the Fellowship Hall.

Here is a head’s up about what Rev. Marlene will be speaking about on Sunday.  Hope you can join us to hear the rest.

Marlene’s Rev. Notes:

“Therefore, Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:9

This Sunday’s reading tells of the call of Samuel. Prior to this passage, we learn that Samuel’s birth is a result of God hearing his mother’s plea for a child after years of barrenness. Samuel’s birth is in fact a divine act of mercy. In response to this gift from God, Samuel’s mother consecrates her son to God’s service, which is why we find Samuel sleeping in the Lord’s temple.

Samuel’s readiness to serve is evident in his quick response to what he thinks is a call from the priest, Eli. He responds by running to Eli and saying, “Here I am.” It is interesting that at no point does Samuel show signs of being irritated or annoyed at being called three times and being told that Eli did not call him three times and to go back to sleep. Samuel willingly obeys every summons.

The text tells us why Samuel did not recognize God’s call, when it explains in verse 7 that Samuel, “did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.” When Eli finally realizes that it is God calling Samuel, he advises Samuel to respond by saying, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” At the fourth call, Samuel answers the Lord instead of going to Eli and he is called to be a Prophet of God.

Samuel’s learning curve continues to mature as he grows older and is helped by the presence of the Lord. I wonder, are we like Samuel, needing to fine tune our ears to God’s call? And how do we respond? With the eagerness of Samuel, or by putting our response off until later?