September 19 -- "Tuned In To God"

 Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 3

"Tuned In To God"

In 1 Samuel 3:19, we witness the divine confirmation of Samuel's prophetic calling. The phrase "let none of his words fall to the ground" signifies God's commitment to ensuring that Samuel's words, inspired by Him, were fulfilled and carried weight in the lives of the people.

Not just when he was a child, but throughout his adult life, God spoke to Samuel. And Samuel heard Him clearly. Samuel then spoke the words of God and, as He spoke the words of God, God could move through those words to bring them to pass.  Samuel came to be recognized by all of Israel as being a prophet of God, and all of Israel had witnessed that when Samuel speaks, what he speaks comes to pass.  A mark of Samuel’s life was that God preserved his words so that they would not waste away.

Back in Deuteronomy 18, Moses had taught the people of Israel how to recognize a true prophet from God.  The first test was this, “And I will put my words in his mouth.”  In other words, when a prophet speaks, He speaks not from his own whims or intellect, but he speaks the words given to him by God.  Anyone who claims to be speaking for God must speak words that are given to him/her and that are consistent with the already revealed Scriptures.  God will not contradict Himself.  When He speaks, His words are true. 

Secondly, when a so-called prophet speaks in the “name of other gods,” he/she is a false prophet. 

Finally, the Law said that when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. This is the “acid test” of prophecy.  Did it come to pass?  Or did the “prophets” words fall to the ground and waste away? 

Samuel was a prophet in tune with God.  When God spoke to him, he heard His voice.  And when Samuel spoke in the name of the LORD, none of his words fell to the ground.  As we continue our journey through Samuel’s life, we will see that he was a man in tune with God and who was used mightily by God to speak forth His words.

If you are called to speak for God, make certain you are speaking only the words God puts in your mouth; that you are not speaking in the name of other “gods;” and then allow God to work.  If the words were from Him, they will come to pass.