Two-minute read.
“Beth, can you hear me?!”
My mother’s frustration came through in her tone. When I had done something to agitate her, the way she said my name told me all I needed to know. With a slight soprano pitch, she would call to me, trying to find my latest hiding place to avoid her wrath. I always knew the sooner I faced the music, the less punishment I would receive. Eventually, with head bowed and eyes diverted, I would reveal myself to her, and we would work through the issue. One thing remained true: I always recognized my mother’s voice; whether angry, glad, or sad, I knew it belonged to her.
When Samuel served in the tabernacle under Eli, messages and visions from the Lord didn’t happen often. During a spiritually difficult time in Israel, people didn’t hear from God as they had in the past. So when Samuel heard his name called one night while sleeping, he assumed Eli needed him. Three times the young boy heard his name, and three times he went to Eli. Finally, the older prophet realized who called Samuel’s name: the Lord.
Eli instructed Samuel to answer God.
And the fourth time he did.
“Speak, for your servant hears.”
Samuel didn’t just hear God’s voice; he also learned to recognize it, as I learned to recognize my mother’s.
We must learn the same.
In the myriad of voices we hear daily, we can easily miss the Lord’s. Divine nudges go unnoticed because of worldly distractions. God took the initiative with Samuel and called out to him. The growing prophet and eventual leader of Israel didn’t seek a dramatic encounter with the Lord; he served him faithfully where his Creator placed him.
And God called out to him.
Sometimes we expect the Lord to speak only during extraordinary spiritual experiences, but Samuel’s encounter happened in the middle of ordinary faithfulness. God knows your name, and he knows your heart. Wherever the Lord places us, we must serve faithfully, as Samuel did. We may not understand why, but God does. By trusting Him, we can glorify Him in the mundane with our faithfulness.
You never know when God will call.
Samuel didn’t expect the Lord’s calling that night. And we might not expect ours when it comes. But God designed us for a purpose. He calls us to it and directs our steps to fulfill it. First, we must learn to recognize his voice. When we do, as Samuel did, God will work miracles through us as we trust and follow Him.
Journal Questions:
- What distractions or “noise” in your life make it difficult for you to slow down and listen to God?
- If you sincerely prayed, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening,” what do you think God might be asking you to hear or pay attention to right now?
- Is there something God has already asked you to do that you’ve been hesitant to obey? What would it look like to respond with Samuel’s attitude of willingness?
Application:
Sit quietly and ask God what He wants you to do. Then wait for an answer.
