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"And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth." (1 Samuel 3:10)Many scholars tell us that Samuel was about 12 years old, or in his early teens when God called him with an audible voice into His service. Because of the poor spiritual state of the nation, prophetic visions and dreams were precious and rare in those days. However, unlike the spiritually weary old Eli, whose eyes were dim and love for the Lord had grown lukewarm, the young Samuel heard God's voice clearly in the night hours and responded quickly and obediently. As soon as He heard the call, Samuel thought it was Eli and ran to him answering, "here am I."God's call came as daylight was beginning to dawn, for the "lamp of God," had almost gone out. The lamp stand in the sanctuary was kept burning night and day and was no doubt ready to be replenished with oil. But God was waiting to pour His own light into this spiritually alert little boy to whom He was to entrust many things. God was waiting to tell Samuel that His judgment was ready to fall on the house of Eli, because of the shocking apostasy into which the priesthood had fallen and because his own two sons were sexually promiscuous. God was waiting to reveal to Samuel that He was going to do a new thing in Israel, something that would cause the ears of all who heard it to tingle.One night, Samuel was lying down in the tabernacle of the Lord, where the ark of God was located. Just as the flickering lamp of God was burning low, the Lord called to the boy, but he did not recognize the voice of God. Samuel thought it was the old priest calling to him and obediently went to the sleeping Eli, to find out why he was needed.The old man was slow to realize the Voice that was hailing Samuel was none other than the Lord Who was calling to him in the night. So, Eli sent him back to bed twice but eventually realized what was happening and told Samuel that if He was to call again, Samuel was to respond and listen to all that God had to say. In the above verse we read again, "Then the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, 'Samuel! Samuel!' And Samuel replied, 'Speak, for Your servant is listening.'" The words that God spoke to Samuel that night cause every ear that heard them tingle with shock and horror. Judgement was to come on Eli for the lethargy in his religion, but also on his two evil sons who blasphemed the name of the Lord and who participated in gross immorality which caused shame and disgrace to come upon the sacred position of the Levitical priesthood.It must have been terrifying yet wonderful for young Samuel to hear God talking to him in the early hours of the morning and discover that he was to be used as a prophetic voice to the people of God. Samuel was ready and willing to hear the Word of the Lord and responded with words that many others have uttered down through centuries of time, "Speak; for thy servant heareth."The Lord is no respecter of persons and the eyes of the Lord continue travel looking for a man or woman who has a listening ear, a trusting heart, and a willing spirit that is ready to say, "Speak; for thy servant heareth." The Lord is ready to use anyone who is willing to become an instrument to be used in the furtherance of His truth.Friends, no one is too young or too old for God to use. Both men and women, rich and poor, Jew and Gentile are people whom He will use if they are ready to listen and obey His voice and trust in Him with their whole being.