Thought for the week: Ensure we listen when God makes Himself known to us!
It is always a great delight when the preacher brings me some refreshing light on a well-known Bible story.
That was my experience a fortnight ago when the Sunday sermon was on the call of Samuel to serve the Lord as told in First Samuel chapter three. A key point of the address was the fact that even though he was only a young boy, Samuel had an attentive heart to what the Lord was saying to him, and he persisted in responding.
This was in stark contrast to the old man Eli, a priest, who took a long time to realise that God really was speaking to the boy, perhaps because his own heart had become hardened by allowing his sons to be involved in serious wrongdoing.
Once again, we see the wisdom and sensitivity of a child far outweighing that of an older person. As the years increase, we are expected to become wiser and have a better understanding of what the Lord might expect of us. But that is not guaranteed. Older does not necessarily mean wiser or better.
It is no accident that in the life of the early church, the Apostle Paul emphasised quality of life and a good grasp of God’s truth for those called to be leaders, rather than the ‘seniority’ of their years.
Indeed, he was explicit in saying to the young leader Timothy - "Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity."
I am privileged to have some really good Christian friends who are a lot younger than I am. One of their most striking characteristics is a relaxed willingness and ability to be very public about their faith amongst work colleagues and friends.
They don’t "just believe". They have put a great deal of time and effort into thinking carefully about what their faith is about and why they are followers of Christ. And like Samuel, many have that attentive heart to be able to discern what the Lord is saying to them.
It is a mystery to many that we really can hear God speak to us. I personally am aware of some quite specific – even dramatic – examples of this in recent months. I have known it in my own experience from time to time.
It is my ongoing prayer that God will continue to make Himself known to me, and that I will be able to hear what He wants me to hear, and do what He wants me to do. So, may I urge you to think carefully about this spiritual reality, and simply ask God to make you like Samuel – your mind and soul well attuned so that when the Lord speaks, He is properly heard and not ignored. Such a privilege!