There’s a great story in the Old Testament that involves three characters. There’s the elderly priest, his young assistant/protégée, and God. Eli is the elderly priest, Samuel is the young helper, and God…is God. Now this was a time period in which God’s voice was “rare,” as the story tells us. Or maybe what it is saying is that God’s voice was not listened to. Either way, God seemed to be silent.
Because of his age, Eli wasn’t able to carry out the priestly duties the way he once did, so his sons became the assistant priests, but they were “wicked” as the Bible describes them. The sons would perform the priestly duties required, but their heart wasn’t in it, and they found ways to use their position to take advantage of the people. Thus, the reason for God’s silence.
Samuel, who was a young boy assisting Eli, wasn’t caught up in the scandal or abuse in the temple and was doing his best to serve God, and God noticed this. One night as Samuel was sleeping God came to him and spoke his name. As the story tells us, Samuel didn’t yet know God or know God’s voice, so Samuel got up and ran to Eli inquiring what the need was. Eli said he hadn’t called and sent Samuel back to bed. This happened several more times. Finally, Eli understood that God was speaking to Samuel. Before sending Samuel back to his room, Eli said, “Next time you hear the voice call your name say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’”
Once again, as Samuel was sleeping, God spoke his name. This time Samuel spoke the words Eli had shared with him, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” God then told Samuel of events that would happen in the future, and Samuel went on to become a great prophet of God, being the one who anointed the boy David saying that one day David would be the king of Israel.
Today, I am struck by the power of that simple phrase, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” This story of Samuel, Eli, and God came into my mind the other day for no particular reason. I wasn’t reading in the book of 1 Samuel, where this story is found. I wasn’t even thinking about Samuel or David, etc. I was actually thinking about worship and doing some things to get ready for a Sunday worship service. As I pondered this unexpected thought, I wondered what God might be saying or wanting to say to me…if I would only listen.
Our world is filled with such noise and so much busyness that rarely do we (or maybe I should say “I”) pause to listen to nature, let alone to listen for God’s voice in our lives. How often do we / I feel like God is being silent in the world or my life…but the reality is I simply haven’t stopped to listen?
What would happen if each time we entered our worship space here at the church facility, we would pause for a moment and say, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.”? Or, what might happen if each time we opened our Bible to read from it we would whisper a prayer, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.”? Or, what if as we began a new day, we not only opened our eyes, but we opened our heart and mind and said, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.”? I wonder what God might have to say to us?!
My challenge to each of us is that this Sunday, and every Sunday, we enter into worship with the words of Eli and Samuel in our heart – “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” And then…let’s do just that…listen for God!
Serving Together,
Pastor Keith