Lord Speak

Since February, my discipleship group and I have been trying to incorporate a time of silence into our daily rhythm. We find a quiet spot, get comfortable, start a timer and give 10 min to God, in what Robert Mulholland calls, “patient, open-ended yieldedness.”

But let’s be honest, it often feels more like a frantic, whack-a-mole of pop-up thoughts in my head.

As I was sitting in silence one day, my mind (as usual) kept wandering to all the things I had to do and situations I needed to deal with that day.  I tried to think of a verse to help me focus - and the words “Here I am!” kept popping up.

It made me think of little Samuel, living with the old priest, Eli.  So, I found 1 Samuel 3 and read the story again.

Verse 1 says that Samuel had "ministered before the Lord” under Eli, from very early in his life when his mother Hannah offered him back to the Lord.  But in verse 7, we find out that “Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.”

I was stunned.  Here was Samuel - living in the priest’s home, helping with all the temple work.  But - he did not yet know the Lord…?

No wonder Samuel kept mistaking the voice of God in the night for Eli’s voice.  All this time, he had centred his ministry on another human being, rather than on God Himself.  Samuel kept rushing to serve Eli, “Here I am,” “Here I am!” when all the while, it was God who had been calling him.

Finally, Eli realizes that God is calling Samuel and advises him to lie back down - to respond to the Lord, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.”  In the act of lying down and submitting to God’s voice, Samuel was finally able to hear God’s true call on his life.

I too have “ministered before the Lord” for a long time.  It made me wonder.

Like Samuel - have I been ministering before the Lord without taking time to know the Lord?  Do I rush to serve, “Here I am!" - without listening to the voice of God Himself?  Have I ignored His bigger calls on my life?

Like Eli – am I slowly losing sight, just going through the motions of the priesthood?  Am I “discipling” others without ever revealing to God to them?

What about you?

Heavenly Father, may we become familiar with your voice by being in Your word.  May we consciously invite the presence of Your Holy Spirit and set aside moments of silence - listening and responding to Your voice.  May we not do things out of the immediate rush of “Here I am!” but out of a journey of patient, open-ended yieldedness, in the way of Your Son Jesus.  May we continually submit, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening."