Is God speaking to you today? Do you expect to hear from God when you read your Bible? Is reading your Bible daily just something to cross off your to-do list, or do you expect to hear from the Lord when you open it?

Sermons, Bible studies, and personal quiet time in Scripture are all means the Lord uses to speak to us, strengthen us, comfort us, and encourage us in our walk with Him. But God's Holy Word will only influence a faithful believer who's ready to receive and respond to its message.

Friends, to get the most from our time in God's Word, we must first prepare our hearts to receive. That means coming into His courts ready to listen. This passage today tells the story of young Samuel's encounter with God. The old priest Eli instructed young Samuel to say, "Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening." Those are valuable words for us all.

Before you open your Bible, consider praying those words; then ask God to help you understand His message and apply it to your life. God's Word is an amazing gift! It comforts the mourner, strengthens the faint-hearted, convicts the sinner, gives peace to the repentant, and brings joy to all who obey it.

Invite God to speak into your life today.

Onward and Upward + Fr. Greg