Listening to God (re:listening 2)

I’ve been thinking a lot about listening recently. Today I’m thinking about listening to God.

I love the story from the Old Testament where Samuel is a young man staying in the temple with the old priest Eli. In the middle of the night, Samuel hears a voice calling to him by name. After three trips to see Eli, thinking that the old man was the one calling to him, Eli finally figures out that something else is happening. Something entirely different.

God is speaking to Samuel.

Eli tells Samuel to respond to God if and when he next hears the Voice. The words Samuel uses in response to God have been lodged in my mind for years: “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”

“Your servant is listening.”

When was the last time that you went to McDonald’s and were giving your order and it really didn’t seem like the person behind the counter cared about what you were saying? This happened to me a couple of weeks ago while on a trip. The worker was punching the buttons while looking down at her register, but not really there with me. It was like an invisible gulf separated me from her. It was a gulf of indifference. “What type of soda did you want with your value meal?” she asked. Did the sharpness escape as I said, “I already told you I wanted a Coke”? Is this person really listening to me? No, I’m just another feature in their business day.

That’s how we are oftentimes with God. “What did You want me to do with my life again?” we ask. God perhaps responds,”I already told you that I wanted you to love Me with all of who you are and love the people around you as if they are as important to Me as you are.” God may wonder, “Is this person really listening to Me?”

If we’re really honest with ourselves and one another, our answer many times is, “No, we’re not really listening to You, God.”

“Speak, for Your servant is listening,” Samuel said.

How good are you at listening to God?