by Pastor Afolabi Oladele

The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!” “Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?”  He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”

“I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did. Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!” Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”

“I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.”

Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”

Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed.

And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!”

And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:3-10 NLT

Have you felt that urge to get your phone because there might be a message waiting for you? How easy has it been to resist this urge? This is the trap of the phone and internet connectivity! Could we develop the same attraction and attentiveness for God’s voice?

Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
    He’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.
    Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
    your very bones will vibrate with life!
Honor God with everything you own;
    give Him the first and the best.  Proverbs 3:6-9 MSG

Listen to me;
    listen, and pay close attention. Isaiah 28:23 NLT.

If there is anytime this caution is needed, it is now. Resist the urge to be under the phone’s control! Don’t be bypassed because your attention and unwitting devotion is to the false god of science and technology.