'Lord, Here I Am': 1 Samuel 3:10 (Goodness)

Read Galatians 5:22-23:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Are you ready to make an investment in the Fruit of Goodness?

What is the goal of your spiritual life? Be specific.

Write your answer in space provided.

Read 1 Samuel 1-10:

"The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.

One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel.

Samuel answered, “Here I am.” And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Select 'Successful' when you are finished.

What was the last thing God communicated to you?

Go to 'DOCUMENTS' and read Oswald Chambers' observations on 1 Samuel 3:10.

Select 'Successful' when you finished.

Oswald states:

"Just because I have listened carefully and intently to one thing from God does not mean that I will listen to everything He says. I show God my lack of love and respect for Him by the insensitivity of my heart and mind toward what He says. If I love my friend, I will instinctively understand what he wants. And Jesus said, “You are My friends...” (John 15:14)

How do you feel toward your close friends when they don't bother to listen to you?

Oswald adds:

"Have I disobeyed some command of my Lord’s this week? If I had realized that it was a command of Jesus, I would not have deliberately disobeyed it. But most of us show incredible disrespect to God because we don’t even hear Him. He might as well never have spoken to us."

To what degree do these statements apply to your relationship with Jesus?

Oswald continues:

"The goal of my spiritual life is such close identification with Jesus Christ that I will always hear God and know that God always hears me (see John 11:41)."

How much does this statement align with your answer in step 2?

Oswald states:

"If I am united with Jesus Christ, I hear God all the time through the devotion of hearing. A flower, a tree, or a servant of God may convey God’s message to me."

Do you agree with this statement?

Oswald continues:

"What hinders me from hearing is my attention to other things. It is not that I don’t want to hear God, but I am not devoted in the right areas of my life. I am devoted to things and even to service and my own convictions. God may say whatever He wants, but I just don’t hear Him."

In all honestly, what are the 'other things' in your life that are blocking you from hearing God? Be specific.

Regarding your friendship with Jesus, is there anything you would like to repent of (express your sorrow)?

If so, you can do so privately or in the space provided.

Oswald adds:

The attitude of a child of God should always be, “Speak, for Your servant hears".

Like Samuel, tell the Lord that you are ready to listen to Him right now. Quiet your mind and seek his Presence. Let Him know that His servant is listening.

If you wish, you can write down what you receive in the space provided.

Is there anything you would like to thank or praise God for?

If so, you may do so privately or in the space provided.

Oswald concludes:

"If I have not developed and nurtured this devotion of hearing, I can only hear God’s voice at certain times. At other times I become deaf to Him because my attention is to other things—things which I think I must do. This is not living the life of a child of God."

How important to you is it to live as a child of God, to be His close, intimate friend?

Keep in mind that learning to hear God is a process, not an event.

For that reason this task is now in your library to return to whenever you like.

Are you willing to continue to discipline yourself against those things that are standing between you and your friendship with God?

How much has this Trail increased the fruit of God's goodness in your present disposition?