I choose Listening.
"So Eli told Samuel, 'Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place (1 Samuel 3:9)."
There are a million different things happening around us at any given moment, every day, every week – all the time. We’re sleeping, eating, cleaning, watching TV, studying, working, driving, vacationing, running errands, paying bills, walking the dog, being with friends, arguing, making up, being sick, exercising … we live full lives.
Life will always be busy but instead of slowing down we turn up the beat, change the song, or search for a new frequency that resonates with our mood. Responsibilities, chores, the must do’s, the bills, the not enough, the success of today and the plans for tomorrow, can all distract our inner ear from hearing God's voice.
It’s no wonder that in the midst of the clang and clatter of life, children hear God’s whisper before we do. Samuel heard it. While all the adults were sleeping – perhaps not getting enough of it and already anticipating what they wouldn't get done the next day – Samuel, a small boy, heard a voice calling HIS name. Not the priest’s name, or his mother’s name… HIS name.
God speaks, we know that, right? The Bible is FULL of stories about God saying all kinds of things to all kinds of people. I know he’s spoken to me, and I bet many of you can say that he’s spoken to you. Yet still, I get asked a lot, “How can I hear the voice of God? How will I know it's him?”
Stop and listen for God; make yourself available to His instruction and presence; get silent. Remove yourself from all the crazy stuff that happens around you. Forget about your schedule, the dishes in the sink, the shows on Netflix, the problems at work…and just be still. Silent. Focused. Relaxed.
Pray
I am chosen by God and I choose to listen. Lord, open my ears to be fully attentive when You speak. Don’t let me wait until after You are speaking but give me a heart and ears that are ready to hear Your voice and Your Word before You start speaking.