Thursday in Epiphany

1Verse 1. And the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. Now in those days the word of the LORD was rare, and visions were scarce. 2Verse 2. And at that time Eli, whose eyesight had grown so dim that he could not see, was lying in his room. 3Verse 3. Before the lamp of God had gone out, Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was located. 4Verse 4. Then the LORD called to Samuel, and he answered, “Here I am.” 5Verse 5. He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you have called me.” “I did not call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. 6Verse 6. Once again the LORD called, “Samuel!” So Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you have called me.” “My son, I did not call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.” 7Verse 7. Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, because the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. 8Verse 8. Once again, for the third time, the LORD called to Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you have called me.” Then Eli realized that it was the LORD who was calling the boy. 9Verse 9. “Go and lie down,” he said to Samuel, “and if He calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10Verse 10. Then the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.” 11Verse 11. Then the LORD said to Samuel, “I am about to do something in Israel at which the ears of all who hear it will tingle. 12Verse 12. On that day I will carry out against Eli everything I have spoken about his house, from beginning to end. 13Verse 13. I told him that I would judge his house forever for the iniquity of which he knows, because his sons blasphemed God and he did not restrain them. 14Verse 14. Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, ‘The iniquity of Eli’s house shall never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’” 15Verse 15. Samuel lay down until the morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16Verse 16. but Eli called to him and said, “Samuel, my son.” “Here I am,” answered Samuel. 17Verse 17. “What was the message He gave you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God punish you, and ever so severely, if you hide from me anything He said to you.” 18Verse 18. So Samuel told him everything and did not hide a thing from him. “He is the LORD,” replied Eli. “Let Him do what is good in His eyes.” 19Verse 19. And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and He let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. 20Verse 20. So all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the LORD. 21Verse 21. And the LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, because there He revealed Himself to Samuel by His word.

10Verse 10. In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Here I am, Lord,” he answered. 11Verse 11. “Get up!” the Lord told him. “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12Verse 12. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” 13Verse 13. But Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and all the harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14Verse 14. And now he is here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.” 15Verse 15. “Go!” said the Lord. “This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel. 16Verse 16. I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.” 17Verse 17. So Ananias went to the house, and when he arrived, he placed his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18Verse 18. At that instant, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and his sight was restored. He got up and was baptized, 19Verse 19. and after taking some food, he regained his strength.