Here I am

1 Samuel 3:3-9, “And 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, that the Lord called Samuel and he said, “Here I am.” Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, I did not call, lie down again. So, he went and lay down. And the Lord called yet again, “Samuel!” So, Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he answered, I did not call my son, lie down again. Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor had the word of the Lord yet been revealed to him. So, the Lord called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli discerned that the Lord was calling the boy. And Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go lie down and it shall be if He calls you that you say, “Speak Lord for thy servant is listening.” So, Samuel went and lay down in his place.” The Bible says that God made man in His image, and He saw that it was good. I believe that from the moment God breathed life in us, our hearts search for the reunion with Him. There is a void we may not understand that can only be filled by knowing God. Man searches for that which is missing. He tries to fill that void with things that are temporal. Things that provide only a moment of pleasure but never satisfies the longing within. When God called Samuel’s name, he thought it was Eli calling for him. Samuel said, “here I am, you called for me.” How like in our lives we seek out things that we think are the answer to what we are hearing within our hearts. Many do not yet know the Lord, nor has the Lord yet been revealed to them. That desire to fill the void is calling out their names. They go and look for the answer not realizing it is God. They hear the call of their name, they want to find the answer. They just don’t know the Lord. So, they search in the wrong places. We must be like Eli and discern that it is the Lord calling them. we must be the one who tells them what the answer is they are seeking. Many are saying, “Here I am.” They hear the sound of God walking in the garden and asking, “Where are you?”, and they are afraid because they are naked. God asked Adam, “who told you, you were naked?” Eli told Samuel to lie down and it shall be if He calls you, say, speak Lord for thy servant is listening.” Do you see what the scripture is showing us? Samuel did not yet know God and was hearing God call his name. Yes, I believe that every heart seeks to fill the void that is missing. The void only God’s love can satisfy. 1 Samuel 3:3 begins with “And the lamp of God had not yet gone out.” God’s will is that none shall perish, but all come to repentance. He is calling everyone. The lamp of God has not yet gone out. Let us discern this and lead them to the answer.