October Sunday Reflections

Are You Going to the Source?

Scripture Focus: 1 Samuel 3:1–10

I've been spending time studying the book of 1 Samuel, and this week I found myself sitting with something in chapter 3 that really made me think.

Samuel was just a boy, serving the Lord under the guidance of Eli, the high priest.

The opening verse tells us:

"In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions." — 1 Samuel 3:1 (NIV)

A few verses later, Scripture tells us something else:

"Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him." — 1 Samuel 3:7 (NIV)

Think about that for a moment.

Samuel was being raised in an environment centered around the worship of God. He served under Eli. He was surrounded by the things of God. He was even lying down in the house of the Lord when God called his name.

And yet, when God called him, Samuel didn't recognize who was speaking.

He ran to Eli.

Not once. Not twice. Three times.

Now, Scripture tells us that God's word had not yet been revealed to Samuel. He was still learning to recognize the voice of the Lord.

But as I thought about that scene, I couldn't help thinking about how easily we can fall into a similar pattern today.

We can be surrounded by the things of God and still neglect spending time getting to know Him for ourselves.

We can attend church every Sunday, listen to sermons throughout the week, follow Christian influencers, and fill our social media feeds with encouraging messages about God.

We can listen to podcasts featuring incredible men and women of faith who have spent years studying Scripture.

And listen, I am not saying there is anything wrong with those things. I enjoy them too!

But here's the question I had to ask myself:

Am I spending more time listening to other people tell me about God than I am actually spending time with God?

Because there is a difference.

We live in a world where we can scroll through sixty-second sermons, hear a powerful message, get emotional, feel encouraged, and keep scrolling.

We might even share that message with someone else.

But have we opened our own Bibles?

Have we taken the time to study the Scriptures for ourselves? To understand what God is saying in context? To meditate on His Word rather than simply accepting someone else's interpretation?

Second Timothy 2:15 reminds us to be diligent in handling the word of truth correctly.

And Acts 17:11 tells us about the Bereans, who examined the Scriptures daily to see whether what they were being taught was true.

Think about that!

They didn't just accept what they heard. They went back to the Scriptures.

And if that was important then, how much more intentional should we be today, when anyone with a phone and a social media account can claim to have a word from God?

Not every message that sounds encouraging is biblically sound.

Not every person quoting Scripture is interpreting it correctly.

And not every message that makes us feel good is necessarily what we need to hear.

If we don't know the Word for ourselves, how will we recognize when someone is misusing it?

That brings me to something else I find absolutely amazing.

The God who created the heavens and the earth wants us to know Him.

Personally.

Not just through a pastor. Not just through a podcast. Not just through someone else's relationship with Him.

He invites us to draw near to Him.

Me?

You?

Yes. You and me.

And the more I thought about that, the more another picture came to mind.

Scripture describes the church as the Bride of Christ. We see this beautiful imagery in Revelation 19:7–9 and 2 Corinthians 11:2.

Now imagine this scene for just a moment.

You're getting ready to marry someone you've never actually spent time with.

You've never had a meaningful conversation with him. You've never taken the time to understand his character, his heart, or what matters to him.

But you've watched hundreds of sixty-second videos of other people talking about him.

You've listened to their stories. You've heard how wonderful he is. You've even gotten emotional listening to them describe their relationship with him.

And now you're standing there, ready to marry someone you only know through other people's experiences.

Sounds a little ridiculous, doesn't it?

But isn't that worth thinking about when it comes to our relationship with Christ?

We cannot build a deep, personal relationship with someone if we are content to know Him only through the experiences of others.

And here's what I love.

God has not left us guessing about who He is.

John 1:1–3 tells us:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

John goes on to tell us that all things were made through Him.

And later, in John 1:14, we read that the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.

Jesus Christ is the living Word.

And through the Scriptures, we learn about His character, His promises, His holiness, His mercy, His love, and His plan of redemption.

So why would we settle for knowing Him only through someone else's highlight reel?

Go to the source.

Please don't misunderstand me. I am thankful for pastors, Bible teachers, and people who faithfully share God's Word. God uses them to teach, encourage, correct, and strengthen us.

Even Samuel needed Eli to help him understand that it was the Lord calling him.

But Eli couldn't respond to God for Samuel.

Samuel had to listen and answer for himself.

And that brings me back to the moment that started this entire reflection.

When Samuel finally understood who was calling him, he responded:

"Speak, for your servant is listening." — 1 Samuel 3:10 (NIV)

I wonder how often we're so busy listening to everyone else that we haven't made time to sit quietly with God and His Word.

I know this is something I want to be more intentional about in my own life.

Not because I need to check Bible reading off a list.

Not because I want to say I finished another book of the Bible.

But because I genuinely want to know Him more deeply.

And maybe you do too.

So here's my encouragement to both of us this week.

Open your Bible.

Read it slowly. Study it. Ask questions. Look at the context. Pray for wisdom and understanding.

If something confuses you, don't be afraid to ask God to help you understand.

And if you don't even know what to pray, remember the beautiful promise in Romans 8:26–27.

Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness and intercedes for us according to the will of God.

What an incredible comfort.

We don't have to come to God with perfect words or perfect understanding.

We can come to Him with willing hearts.

And we can trust the Holy Spirit to help us as we pray, study, and grow.

This week, I want to challenge you, and myself, to spend a little less time scrolling through what everyone else is saying about God and a little more time studying what God has already revealed in His Word.

Listen to the sermons. Enjoy the podcasts. Be encouraged by the people God has placed in your life.

But don't let those things become a substitute for your own time with Him.

Go to the source.

Because knowing about God and growing in a relationship with God are not the same thing.

And I don't want to spend my life settling for secondhand knowledge of the One who invites me to know Him personally.

Until next time,

Naomi

Encouragement for Today

You don't have to be a Bible scholar to develop a deeper relationship with God. You don't need a theology degree, a perfect prayer, or hours of uninterrupted time.

You just need to be willing to begin.

Maybe you've spent years attending church but have never really studied the Bible for yourself. Maybe you've relied on sermons, devotionals, or social media posts to help you understand who God is.

There's no shame in starting right where you are.

God isn't asking you to know everything about Him before you come to Him. He invites you to seek Him, to grow in your understanding, and to draw near to Him.

And here's something I hope you'll remember: The same God who called Samuel by name invites you to know Him, too.

You don't have to experience God through someone else's relationship with Him.

Open your Bible. Start with a few verses. Ask questions. Pray for understanding. And don't be discouraged if you don't understand everything the first time you read it.

A deeper relationship with God isn't built in a single sixty-second moment of inspiration. It's cultivated through time spent in His Word, prayer, trust, and obedience.

You don't have to know everything to begin. But you do have to begin if you want to grow.

So this week, make the time.

Go to the source.

Ready to Go to the Source?

If today's reflection encouraged you to spend more time in God's Word, I've created a couple of free resources to help you get started!

Go to the Source: A 7-Day Bible Study Challenge is designed to help you slow down, open your Bible, and begin studying Scripture for yourself.

Praying God's Word: A Scripture Reference & Prayer Guide will help you learn how to incorporate Scripture into your daily prayers, even when you're not sure what to say.

You don't have to have it all figured out. Just start where you are.

Visit my Free Resources page to download these guides and begin growing in your understanding of God's Word.

My prayer is that these resources will encourage you to seek Him, study His Word, and develop a deeper relationship with Him.

A Prayer for This Week

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for loving me enough to want a personal relationship with me. Thank You for giving me Your Word so that I can grow in my knowledge and understanding of who You are.

Lord, forgive me for the times I have allowed the busyness of life, distractions, and even the voices of others to take the place of spending time with You. Help me not to be satisfied with simply knowing about You, but to have a genuine desire to know You more deeply.

Give me a hunger for Your Word. Teach me to study it faithfully, understand it correctly, and apply it to my daily life. Give me wisdom and discernment so that I am not easily led astray by teachings that sound good but are not rooted in Your truth.

Holy Spirit, help me in my weakness. When I don't understand, give me wisdom. When I don't know what to pray, remind me that You intercede on my behalf. Quiet the distractions around me and help me recognize Your leading through the truth of Scripture.

And Lord, like Samuel, may my heart be willing to say, "Speak, for Your servant is listening."

I don't want to settle for a secondhand relationship with You. I want to know Your heart, trust Your promises, walk in obedience, and grow closer to You each day.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Scriptures for further study: 1 Samuel 3:1–10; 2 Timothy 2:15; Acts 17:11; John 1:1–14; Revelation 19:7–9; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Romans 8:26–27.