Pastor Tom's Community

“Then the LORD called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ and he said, ‘Here I am!’”

—1 Samuel 3:4

“The word of the LORD was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.”

—1 Samuel 3:1b

In the days of Samuel, when God’s word did not regularly rest upon the ears of the people, the lamp of God still burned near the Ark of the Covenant.

“The lamp of God had not yet gone out.”

—1 Samuel 3:3

God knew how to get in touch with people. He still called, and people still answered. The story is longer than this statement, but the statement says it all:

“Then the LORD called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ and he said, ‘Here I am!’”

In every generation, God calls prophets and preachers, workers and intercessors, servants and leaders. God knows the hearts of people and calls them to his work.

“O LORD, you have searched me and known me.”

—Psalm 139:1

The psalmist understood that the call of God was based upon God’s knowledge of his heart. It was a personal and intimate call.

“The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’”

—John 1:43

Jesus came and began calling people. First, Philip was called. Philip sought out Nathanael, and when Nathanael came, Jesus peered into his heart and saw something that Nathanael did not even see.

Over and over, the call rings out: I see you. Follow me. Come and see.

When he calls, may we be ready with the response, “Here I am.”

Called from darkness where we wandered.
Called to follow brilliant light.
From the lives that we squandered.
From our blindness, hearts ignite.

We have heard the distant voice,
Growing closer by the hour.
We have made the desperate choice.
We are consumed by gentle power.

He has said now, “Follow me.”
We have answered, “Yes. We see!”