1 Samuel 3:9, "So Eli told Samuel, 'Go and lie down,' and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.'"

Think

How does God speak to you? Today's verse is a reminder that God speaks to us best when we are ready to listen! Yesterday, we heard an incredible message from Pastor Ed as he talked about how Samuel misunderstood God's calling three times. He ran to Eli, thinking Eli was calling out to him, but quickly found out it wasn't Eli. After the third time, Eli, who happened to be the Head Priest, figured out that it must be God calling. With instructions to go back & lie down, Eli told Samuel to say some of the most powerful words in all of the Bible. He told Samuel that if God spoke again to say: "SPEAK LORD, FOR YOUR SERVANT IS LISTENING!" What a great line! Better than any Hollywood one-liner, it is packed with adoration and anticipation. It sets you up to be ready to hear a personal word from God's lips straight to your heart. Say this line before you read the Bible. Say this line before you pray. Say this line before you hear a sermon. If you do, and you really mean it, you will be poised and ready to hear God speak!

Act

Memorize this line and make a habit of saying it every day: "Speak Lord, for your servant is listening!" As you do, you will find that God wants to speak volumes to you.

Pray

God, thank you for this incredible lesson from the pages of Scripture. Help me follow in Samuel's footsteps by really listening to anything and everything you want to speak to me. Help me to not let the noise of the world drown out your voice, but help me focus intently on what you have to say. And, as Samuel said in this short phrase, I want to be your servant and follow through with whatever you ask of me. In Jesus' name, Amen.