God Is Silent No More | 1 Samuel 3:19-21

When God is silent no more!

Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.

This week, we are reading 1 Samuel 3. I've titled this chapter "Into Our Silence God Speaks." Today, I am reading verses 19-21, which states:

And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord. — 1 Samuel 3:19-21

This passage describes Samuel's character. After receiving guidance from the Lord, he experienced spiritual growth and matured. The presence of the Lord was evident with him, in stark contrast to Eli, Hophni, and Phinehas. Furthermore, his words carried weight; people listened and remembered when he spoke. As a result, his reputation grew and surpassed others in his time, spanning from Dan to Beersheba, which is like saying from San Francisco to New York.

We are given four distinct characteristics of Samuel. There are four things we could aim for as a follower.

Receptivity to Spiritual Growth.
Intimacy with the Lord.
Speaking the Unforgettable Word.
Reputation that Advanced.

Most men want the fourth item without doing the other three. We want a reputation without putting in the hard work of being receptive, intimate, and teaching the Word. This is mainly because we confuse our fame with God's fame. It's not about our fame and reputation that we need to promote, but about advancing God's fame and His reputation.

The chapter and book serve as something other than a self-help guide on how to become a great leader from the perspective of someone who was a great leader. Instead, the book focuses on how God used a man to usher in a new season for the people of Israel. It's worth noting that in times of crisis, God's initial response to a nation is not to send a political leader but to communicate His Word through a man.

I believe God is looking for this man right now in our time: one who is receptive to growth, intimate with him, speaks his truth and is concerned about His fame, not his own. This is what we need. Are you that man?

#GodSpeaksThroughMen, #SamuelEffect, #ReceptiveLeadership

Ask This:
Following Samuel's example, How can we cultivate a deeper receptivity to spiritual growth in our lives?
How can we prioritize advancing God's fame over our reputation in our daily interactions and leadership roles?
Do This:

Be God's man: a receptive, intimate man of His Word.

Pray This:

Lord, help me to be like Samuel—receptive to Your guidance, intimate with You, and bold in speaking Your truth, all for the glory of Your name. May Your fame be my foremost concern as I seek to lead and influence others by Your will. Amen.