Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” (I Samuel 3:4 ESV)
Listen
I used to envy that little boy, Samuel. God spoke to him! Laying next to the Ark of the Covenant, Samuel heard God’s voice. And while it might seem to us that such a thing would be clear, trustworthy, and amazing, Samuel was not sure what he had heard. So, he went to Eli and asked for advice. This happened, in fact, more than once. Even though young Samuel audibly heard the voice of God, Samuel was unsure of God’s message. He was smart enough to know that things are not always what they seem. Eventually, encouraged by his mentor, Eli, Samuel listened.
But we have no reason to envy Samuel. Because we have clearer messages from God. We have more messages from God. We have messages that we are absolutely sure are not our imagination, manifested desires, or last night’s turkey dinner.
We have the written Word of God. It is a physical book that we can read, understand, and love.
And that is God calling us.
We are peculiar, God speaks to us clearly.