Contemplative Bible Reading

1 Samuel 3:1 (New International Version)

The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.

Such is the lament about the state of life in Israel when Samuel was a boy. Prophets were not having visions; they were not telling people the word of the Lord.

To accept that this was a sad state of affairs means first to accept that people expected prophets to have visions. People expected the Lord to speak directly to this select group of people known as prophets. That is how they received word from the Lord. There was no other method.

Today, we have the printing press and this Internet. We have the Bible in countless English translations and hundreds of other language translations. I read my Bible on my cell phone. (Can you imagine the look someone would have given you several decades ago if you told them that one day they could read the Bible on their telephone?) Today, the word of the Lord is everywhere. It is so easier to ignore than ever before.

In the day of young Samuel, the word of the Lord was rare. People noted that scarcity; people longed for the prophets to have visions from God.

God, help me to understand the precious gifts I have from you. One of those is ready access to the word of the Lord. Help me to read it and handle it properly.