Student Devotion Week 27: Samuel: Hearing God's Voice

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 3:21, "The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word."

It's always been tough to be a godly young person, even in Old Testament days. Consider the life of young Samuel. He was raised in the temple by the high priest Eli and had to live around Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who were also priests. To say these two sons were bad news is an understatement. They'd keep the best part of meat sacrifices for themselves, they seduced young women at the temple, and they had no respect for God. But even though Samuel was surrounded by band influences, he continued to do things that were pleasing to God.

When Samuel was very young, he heard the voice of God one night. The Bible states that visions and messages from God were rare in those days. And as Samuel grew, so did his reputation as a godly man and a man of wisdom. God continued to speak to Samuel and used him to prepare Israel for the transition from the period of the judges to the period of the kings.

One of the wisest man who ever lived, Solomon, wrote in Ecclesiastes 12:1, "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, 'I find no pleasure in them." John Wesley said Solomon's negative reference to old age was due to his looking back with regret over his teenage years.

Can God do great things in the life of a teenager? He certainly did with Samuel.

Is it possible for a teenager to resist negative peer pressure and live a life that pleases God? Samuel did that very thing his entire life.

Are you living y0ur life in a way that honors God? Will you be able to one day look back over your teenage years with no regrets?