Day Seventeen – Waiting and listening

Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.’” So, Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.”

1 Samuel 3: 9-10

Speaking and listening are major parts of our daily life but that has perhaps been made more difficult for us for us this year. Wearing a mask when out and about for example has changed our lifestyle slightly. Although there are those who feel having to wear them is an injustice, I am one who willingly wears a mask when shopping even though I find it difficult. The problem is I have a hearing issue and to get by I often lip read when the person I converse with is a quiet speaker, to at least get an idea of the conversation. With the mask, that changes drastically. The other issue is that I wear hearing aids and also spectacles, so for the shopping visit, it would be good if I had ears like a taxi cab with its doors open to accommodate the gadgets! Without them mind you, I’d be completely lost and would be unable to do what I do.

Samuel didn’t have the same issues as we have but he did hear a voice calling “Samuel, Samuel” which caused him concern. Thinking it was Eli, he ran through to where he was and said to him, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So, he went back and lay down. This happened a few times before the penny dropped that it was God who was calling.

One of my favourite writers is Oswald Chambers and he says on the subject of listening: ‘The attitude of a child of God should always be, “Speak, for Your servant hears.” If I have not developed and nurtured this devotion of hearing, I can only hear God’s voice at certain times.’

Sometimes we just want life to be as it was, but God has different plans. Waiting can be just as difficult, but as we wait, we can say Speak Lord, we are waiting to hear what you have for us. We are waiting to know your next step, your plans for us.

Bernard Baruch once wrote: "Most of the successful people I've known are the ones who do more listening than talking." By the time Gods voice came the third time to Samuel, he would have moved from being startled from a sleep to one who was waiting, listening for the voice of God. Perhaps there is a lesson here for you as well, for it is good for us to begin and end our day the same way. At the beginning we place the day ahead in the hands of almighty God, and at the days end it should be, thank you Lord!

Tom Bonnar