Day 22- Listening
Eriek and I had the opportunity to visit
with some amazing friends today, Adam and Laura, and
meet their twin 10 week old babies. Eriek asked our
friends if so far in their new roles as parents they
had any new insight into their relationship with God.
The new mom, Laura, told us about something that had
happened a few nights ago. Their little girl really
gets her cry on when she’s hungry, and this
one night was no exception. Laura said she picked
up her daughter and gently teased her, “Why
do you get so upset? Have I ever not feed you when
you were hungry? Have I ever not taken care of you
when you needed me?” Laura said it reminded
her of God in Matthew chapter 6 when He talks about
taking care of the birds of the air and the flowers
in the field, how much more will He take care of us?
That story really stuck with me as we
drove home and I started praying before my quiet time
this evening. Then continuing in 1 Samuel, I read
chapter 3. It talks about Samuel as a youth when He
hears God’s voice for the first time. God calls
out to Samuel, and Samuel immediately goes to the
priest, Eli, and says, “You called?” Eli
tells Samuel he did not call and that he should go
back to sleep. This happens again, and then a third
time. The third time, Samuel is saying, I know
you called me this time. Eli finally realizes that
it’s God calling Samuel, so he tells Samuel
that if he hears the call again, to say, “Speak,
Lord, for Your servant hears.” Sure enough,
God calls out to Samuel again and Samuel says, “Speak
for Your servant hears.” Apparently God didn’t
just speak to Samuel either, but Samuel describes
it by saying “the Lord came and stood and called.”
I love the way my study Bible describes Samuel’s
description of the event: These words
reflect Samuel’s very real sense of God’s
presence.
I think God must see me very much as
Laura saw her little daughter the other night just
wailing and crying and upset. God just showed me Matthew
6 (on Day 17), so like Laura comforting her daughter,
I know God is gently comforting, encouraging, and
reminding me that He hears my cries, He knows my needs,
He has always taken care of me, and He always will
provide for me.
So I know God hears my cries, He has
confirmed that. It seems that I’m the one not
listening. I think a lot of times I’m like young
Samuel. I hear God’s voice but I mistake it
for someone or something else. I think maybe it’s
because I tend to do all the talking, but not much
of the listening. You know when you talk to someone
you know well on the phone, you recognize their voice.
If you know that person really well, you recognize
the tone in their voice- happy, angry, sad, tired,
etc. I wonder, if God called me on my cell phone,
would I recognize His voice? If I knew it was Him,
would I be able to tell if He was pleased or upset?
If He offered me advice, would I take it, act on it?
If God asked me to do something just for Him, would
I be willing to do it?
I’m only going to recognize God’s
voice, like anyone else’s, by getting to know
Him first. I know I hear God’s voice sometimes
in various ways, but I often hesitate, questioning
whether it was really God speaking. Even the times
I know it is, my hearing doesn’t often translate
to listening or following through. But as I’m
growing closer to Him each day, His Words are sounding
clearer, His voice a little more familiar.
Father God,
Thank You for listening to me when I’m happy,
when I’m scared, when I’m on top of the
world and when I feel like I’ve been flattened
by it. Thank You for not just hearing me, thank You
for listening to me, comforting me and providing for
me! Lord, forgive me for not being the same loving
friend to You that You’ve been to me. When You
want me to do something for You, I want to be ready,
willing and able to follow through. When You are giving
me the guidance I need but may not want, help me to
not just hear Your Words, but to listen and understand
them. Lord, I want to be able to have a relationship
with you, with back and forth discussions, not just
me rambling on and on in meaningless circles and then
hanging up before You get a chance to talk. Lord,
help me to talk less and listen more to You.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
