The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." 1 Samuel 3:10
I have always loved the story of how God called Samuel in the middle of the night. It is a story I can remember reading as a boy hoping He would call me too. As a boy, I imagined hearing God's voice. I couldn't tell you how many times I have read this story.
How could I miss the most important detail?
In my mind, I have always pictured God calling down to Samuel. There he was, a young boy sleeping in the room with the ark of the covenant, and God's voice can be heard from above calling to him: "Samuel! Samuel!" But the picture I have in my mind is wrong. God was not some amazing voice that strangely came from the ceiling.
The detail I have missed so many times is this: "The Lord came and stood there." God was not some mystical voice. He was standing there in the room, calling out to Samuel.
How many times, Lord, have You stood at the foot of my bed calling out my name? You are not some distant entity who calls to Your children from afar. It excites me and terrifies me to consider how many times You have stood watching me sleep. Give me ears to hear You. Give me the courage to say, "Speak, for Your servant is listening."