“…Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening…” – 1st Samuel 3:9 (NIV)
We live in a world filled with noise – where our phones constantly buzz, social media demands our attention, conversations happen around us, and our minds often run from one thought to another. Sometimes, we are so busy listening to everything else that we struggle to hear the one voice that matters most – God’s voice.
Samuel was just a young boy when God called his name. He heard the voice but did not immediately recognise who was speaking. He thought Eli was calling him. Three times, Samuel got up and went to Eli before Eli realised that God was calling the boy. Finally, Eli told him, “…Go and lie down; and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening…’” (1st Samuel 3:9, NIV). Samuel had to learn something we all need to learn: to hear God’s voice. Hearing God’s voice requires a heart that is willing to listen.
Sometimes God speaks through His Word. Sometimes He speaks through the quiet conviction of the Holy Spirit, wise counsel, circumstances, or a message that seems to speak directly to what we are facing. But listening requires us to slow down.
Have you ever asked God for direction but already decided what you wanted to do? Have you prayed, “Lord, show me Your will,” but then ignored the answer because it wasn’t the answer you hoped for? If we’re honest, sometimes we don’t have a hearing problem – we have an obedience problem.
Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” – John 10:27 (NIV). Notice the connection: listen… know… follow. Listening to God isn’t simply about receiving information. It is about a relationship and responses. God is still speaking. The question is not whether He has something to say to me and you; it is, are you listening to what He’s saying? What noise or distraction is making it difficult for you to hear God clearly? Shut it out now!
Prayer
Father, in the middle of our worries, distractions, fears, and busy lives, help us hear You again. Open our spiritual ears and soften our hearts. Forgive us for being too busy to listen and too distracted to notice. Let Your voice be louder than the noise around us, in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.
Read: 1 Kings 19:11-12; Isaiah 30:21
Bible Reading Guide: Proverbs 21:27-31; Proverbs 22:1-6; 2 Corinthians 8:1-15; Isaiah 8:11-22; Isaiah 9; Isaiah 10:1-19