Christ Church Daily Devotion March 16 2024

In today's Daily Devotion, we read from 1 Samuel chapter 3. God spoke to Samuel and told him that He would judge Eli's family because of their sins. Samuel was afraid to tell Eli, but Eli encouraged him to share everything. Samuel passed the test and grew in his relationship with God, becoming a great prophet. The lesson is to follow through on assignments given by the Holy Spirit, knowing that God is with us and others involved. Today, think about what assignment the Spirit may be calling you to, considering the needs of those around you. Welcome to Christ Church's Daily Devotion for March 16, 2024. Today we will be reading from 1 Samuel chapter 3, verses 10 through 20. The Lord came and stood there calling as at the other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel said, Speak, for your servant is listening. And the Lord said to Samuel, See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family from beginning to end. For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about. His sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, the guilt of Eli's house will never be atoned, for by sacrifice or by offering. Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, but Eli called him and said, Samuel, my son. Samuel answered, Here I am. What was it he said to you? Eli asked, Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you. So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, He is the Lord. Let him do what is good in his eyes. The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel's words fall to the ground, and all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. Even though he was just a boy, Samuel was given his first test as a servant of God. He had already let God know that he was willing to serve. God gave him news of what was going to happen to Eli, the priest, who had been his mentor and helped him recognize God's voice. He was afraid to tell Eli what he had been told. Eli continued to be a good mentor, encouraging, even threatening, the boy, to tell him everything God had said, and Samuel passed the test. He told Eli everything. From that time on, Samuel grew in his relationship with God and became a great prophet. Sometimes assignments we are given in the life of the kingdom or the life of the church can be something we really do not want to follow through on doing. Maybe we feel inadequate to do the job, or like Samuel, there is something about it that intimidates or scares us. Be reminded today that when the Holy Spirit guides you to do something, it is important to follow through with it and see it through to the best of your ability. Also, be reminded that you are not doing the task by yourself, that the Spirit is with you in it, and also working in the life of any other people who may be involved. Be faithful in your role in assignments this day, then move on to whatever comes next. Your personal worship option today is what assignment, whatever it might be, the Spirit be calling you to this day or this next week. Think about the needs of neighbors, friends, coworkers, or any others around you.