Are You Listening?

1 Samuel 3:1-5 -  The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.  One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place.  The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.  Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, "Here I am."  And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay down.

 

Samuel and Eli had laid down to rest for the night in their usual places. It could have been any other night….except God chose this night to speak to Samuel for the first time. The voice Samuel heard was so loud that he thought it was Eli calling to him from his bed in another room. So he immediately got up to see what Eli needed. Eli just sent him back to bed…the first two times…but the third time Eli realized the voice was that of God himself…and he told the boy to lie down…but be ready to listen…if God should call again. Then Samuel was to quickly let God know he was ready to listen by telling him to speak.

 

How cool would it be to get a direct message from God….and actually hear his audible voice. It was rare for those days…probably because true servants of God were rare too. But Samuel was special…reared from three years old in the tabernacle…prayed for every night by a sweet mother who loved him…he used his childhood to soak up the teachings of Eli. God saw the heart of a willing boy…ready to serve God…ears perked to listen to whatever God wanted to say.

 

Jewish historians say he was probably around 12 years of age on this night God began to use him…which made me think about how scary God’s words must have been to him. His mentor Eli had not pleased God…and God’s words were harsh and filled with judgment. He was scared to deliver these words to Eli…maybe even wondered what would become of him when God carried out the plans he shared with Samuel…but he held nothing back when Eli asked him what God had said.

 

It’s not odd to me that God would choose a child to speak his words through. His Bible is full of scripture that tells us how important it is that we always keep a childlike faith. Mathew 18:3 is one of my favorites… And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. God’s probably been trying to speak to all of us since we were 12….or younger.  I know he started convicting me of my need for him when I was 7…but I was 14 when I finally gave my heart to him. I can’t say that I walked with him all my days like Samuel…for I strayed from his will for me many times in the last 40 years I called him Lord.

 

I needed to hear this story last night…to remind myself how important it is to always be ready to hear God’s directives in my life. It may be from his Bible…written in the pages I read each night…it may be from a friend he sends to introduce a thought in my head….or sometimes just an inaudible tweak of my heart. Sure would be nice if he just called me in the night like Samuel…so I could hear his audible voice…and have no doubts I was in his will…always having clear directions…not wondering if I was interpreting the things around me correctly. It could happen…I am one that never lost her ability to act like a child…so I believe God could still speak to us this way again…if we could show him we have a heart like Samuel…ready to listen….telling God to speak…we hear him.

 

Father…I thank you for his reminder that I need to keep my heart and ears open for your messages at all times.  Help me to listen with my whole heart…and consider your truth from the Bible as I try to discern your true will in all my everyday actions. Teach me how to have the childlike faith that will help me believe in your awesome power to do anything you wish here on Earth. Help me lie down more often….and be ready to hear you….to speak quickly that I hear you…and will follow what you tell me to do. Amen.