Are you listening?

pay attention when called on…

4 Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 6 Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8 A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 11 And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. ~1 samuel 3:4-11~

whether as a child or even in adulthood, i’ve been told sometimes that i don’t listen - well or at all. perhaps my mind was elsewhere when spoken to, simply uninterested, or had been unaware i was being addressed. whatever the case may be, people may have thought i was being disrespectful or rude. i can’t say that i’ve never not paid attention during a conversation because i probably phased out from time to time when i just wasn’t having it.

in these verses, The Lord had called on samuel while asleep and each time he didn’t know who was trying to get his attention. eventually after speaking with eli that it was The Lord who was speaking, samuel was instructed to say, “speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” the very next time it happened he heard from The Lord. what’s crazy is what was told at the end of the last verse: ‘will make the ears of everyone who hears…tingle’. how awesome is that, to actually hear from God, then you get a sign - an actual feeling.

i’ve written in the past that i wish i would hear from God or more clearly when He does. unlike samuel where it happened 3x in one night, i sometimes feel as if i’m not able to hear from Him. that distant feeling had worn on me before, even wondering if i have ever heard from or was connected to Him. this can be a real bummer when you are a believer; and i’m strictly speaking for myself, that it plays with your mind, and even your heart at times. thinking and believing that God doesn’t speak to me and wondering what my next steps are. this part of my walk has been difficult to accept at times.

similarly to samuel, i do ask Jesus to speak to me, to help me hear when spoken to, understand what it is that is being said or asked of me, to know that it truly is Him and not my own voice that i am hearing. i’m pretty sure i had asked God to let me know if He is real, that He loves me, and since accepting Jesus into my life, i know that for sure. just working out when The Lord is speaking, correcting, encouraging, even chastising, that i know His voice and welcome whatever is being said. if it correlates to what The Word says, i know that i can believe it.

Heavenly Father, please help me to listen carefully when spoken to like samuel. i do want to hear your voice and find out what you have in store for me. may i always be open to what you are trying to tell me, Jesus, as i know it is for my own good. i love you Lord, in your mighty name i pray, amen!