Discernment: Speak, Lord, your servant is listening

A classic story of discernment is that of Samuel.  We are told in 1 Sam 3:4 that Samuel is asleep and hears someone calling his name.; He thinks it is Eli. After the third time of being awakened by Samuel , Eli realizes that the One who is calling Samuel's name is the Lord Himself.  So he tells Samuel to go back to sleep and if He hears someone calling his name again t5o say: "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening."

We learn several things about discernment from that Scripture passage:

• Recognizing who is calling may take an intervention, someone older and more experienced in listening to God than I am
• God may call at night or when I am surrounded by darkness, darkness within and without
• God may call several times before even the wiser person realizes that God is trying to get my attention
• That it is important to ask the Lord to speak and that now I am listening.