"Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." --1 Samuel 3:9

God is calling us constantly in our lives. Like the old widow, He is persistent. He will continue to court us until we respond. In training ourselves in obedience, we can come to hear that call, as Samuel did. In obedience, Samuel sought to answer the call he heard, and in doing so found his way to the Lord despite his initial misunderstanding. When we hear a call, we must respond as Eli taught Samuel... and then in fact be listening. We must be receptive to the Lord, that we, like Mary, may conceive His divine life within us.