Portraits of Faith, Week 4 - Guidance
1 Samuel 3:1-10 (NIV)
The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.
2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel.
Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
6 Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
8 A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
Discussion Questions
Pastor Dave admitted he had always read this story as a sweet intergenerational mentoring story — until he kept reading and discovered it wasn't. Has a familiar Bible passage ever surprised you when you read it more carefully? What changed in your understanding?
The era of the Judges was characterized by everyone doing "whatever was right in their own eyes." Where do you see that same pattern in the culture around you today — and honestly, where do you see it in yourself?
Eli was a genuinely good and admirable man who failed to restrain his sons when it mattered most. How do you hold those two things together — someone being faithful in many ways and still failing in a consequential one? Where does that challenge show up in your own life?
The first "L" was Look — the reminder that even in the middle of endings and losses, God has already planted the seeds of what's coming next. Is there a transition you're currently in where you need to look more carefully for what God might be quietly growing?
Samuel's name literally means "God heard" — and now the one whose name means "God listened" is being asked to listen back. How would you describe your own practice of listening to God right now — and what tends to get in the way?
Eli recognized God's voice in Samuel's experience even though he himself wasn't the one being called. Who in your life has helped you identify and respond to God's calling — someone who helped you name what was happening even when you couldn't see it yourself?
‘Pastor Dave said he used to think "the call" was a once-and-forever thing, but now believes it can shift from season to season. How has your own sense of calling changed over time — and what does God seem to be calling you toward in this particular season?
Eli's response to devastating news was remarkable: "He is the Lord, let him do what is good in his own eyes." Is there something in your life right now that you've been holding onto tightly that might need that same surrender? What makes it hard to let go?
The Hebrew word hinehi — here I am — is described as more than a location on a map. It's a statement of presence, acceptance, and readiness. As you reflect on Wesley's Covenant Prayer, which of the three invitations speaks most directly to where you are right now: look, listen, or let it be?
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