"Speak, for your servant hears"

This morning I was doing my reading, and I usually hate doing things on what I'm doing personally, but I think this is a good one. But I was reading 1 Samuel 3 today, and Samuel is there laying in the temple and three different times he hears someone call him. Each time he thinks it's the priest Eli. Finally on the third time Eli goes, "God's trying to speak to you."

So God calls Samuel again, and his response is, "Speak, for your servant hears."

As I read this I noticed a couple of things.

1) Samuel was kinda a jerk, commanding God to speak.
2) Samuel was really humble, calling himself God's servant.
3) Samuel states that he is listening.

How often do we hear God speak in our lives? And how often do we ignore his call?

Sometimes when God speaks to us it's just a simple point.

"I love you."

Other times he's telling us what we need to do.

"Go to Altoona and do campus ministry."

Or even don't do.

"Don't move home."

God speaks to us on a daily basis. Sometimes we think it's someone else telling us to do something. When I was debating if I should come to Altoona or not I had a couple other people telling me I should stay in Pittsburgh, or move back to Columbus, or just get out of campus ministry in general. Each person had a valid reason for their thought, but overall the reason was more selfish than anything else. So as I prayed over my situation I asked God what he wanted me to do. And I head others calling me. But unlike Samuel, I didn't think that they were being a voice for God, I didn't mix them up. I heard each voice clearly, and knew where God was calling me.

As you go throughout your week, listen for your name. God is calling you somewhere, either to stay, go forward, or back. Listen for God's call, and know when you're being called by others.