Speak, Lord, Your Servant is Listening

In 1 Samuel 3, we hear Samuel responding to God’s voice by saying, “Here I am! Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”

Many times our prayers sound more like, “Listen, Lord, for your servant is speaking.” That is appropriate, for God invites us to share our petitions (daily bread, forgiveness, deliverance, healing). Yet Samuel teaches us the important part of listening, too. Set aside 5 minutes today (you can set a timer) simply to listen. Notice what happens.

Samuel did not know it was God’s voice calling to him. He was a young boy, and learned from old Eli to listen. Who helps you listen for God’s voice in your life?

God called Samuel to share hard words in that day, even against Eli. (Remarkably, Eli listened to and trusted young Samuel’s words.) As our nation struggles with horrific realities of the attack on the Capitol, the underlying racism and disinformation, and the ongoing effects of the pandemic, we can find it hard to know what words to say or who to believe. Allow for stillness, and for trusted guides, and for new perspectives. God is still calling.

People of St. Timothy, in the deepening shadows of these times, I am grateful that you keep seeking to bind up the brokenhearted and to embody love. Remember to breathe. God’s Spirit sustains you.