Speak Lord, I am Listening

There is a story in the book of 1 Samuel in the Hebrew Scriptures about the calling of Samuel the prophet when he was a young boy.  

In the middle of the night, he hears a voice calling his name and believes it is Eli, the high priest in the next room.  He goes to the sleeping priest and asks him if he called his name.  Eli tells him no and orders him back to bed.  

After a couple of more times of hearing the voice, and awakening the priest, Eli tells Samuel to respond to the voice by saying, "Speak Lord, your servant is listening."  

Samuel returns to bed, and when the voice calls his name again, he speaks the words.  According to the text, God speaks to Samuel, telling him he is to be a prophet and to return to Eli with a message.  

I can't tell you how many times in my life, from boyhood to this moment, I have longed to hear God's voice speaking to me aloud, telling me what I should do next.  I have also had more than a few mystical experiences to know that sometimes the "still, quiet, voice of God" gets drowned out by the noise all around me and within me.  

Many of us yearn for a connection with the Divine, a whisper of reassurance during uncertain times. Amena Brown poignantly captures this sentiment in her poem, “She Said, How Do You Know When You Are Hearing From God?” 

I know I  don't have all the answers
I  know I  never will
That sometimes the best thing we can do is put our
hands in the middle of our chst
Feel the rhythm there
Turn down the noise in our minds, in our lives 
And whisper, 
God 
Whatever you want to say
I'm here 
I'm listening. 

In moments when our hearts are heavy and our spirits weary, Brown reminds us to “listen for the small voice,” guiding us to the presence of God in the ordinary. This small voice often emerges through the subtle nudges of our inner being, moments of grace, and the wonder that envelops us daily.

To experience the Divine is not always a grand manifestation; rather, it often unfolds in the beauty of simplicity, grounded in gratitude. 

Gratitude turns our eyes to the miracles that reside within our everyday experiences. When we cultivate a heart of thankfulness, we begin to see God’s fingerprints in the world around us—whether in a child's laughter, the rustling of leaves in the wind, or the warmth of a loved one's embrace. 

Each moment becomes an opportunity to engage with the sacred.

Reflecting on biblical wisdom, we find assurance in Psalm 34:8: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.” 

This verse invites us to engage with our surroundings—not just to observe, but to partake actively in the goodness of God. It calls us to look deeper, to experience the flavor of life infused with Divine presence. 

Imagine walking through a garden; each bloom a reminder of God’s artistry, or sitting by a river, the sound of flowing water echoing the rhythms of grace. God is indeed present, inviting us to savor the richness of God's creation.

As we traverse our day-to-day journeys, let us be mindful of the sacred moments that often go unnoticed. We can cultivate a practice of awareness, tuning our hearts to the gentle guidance of the Divine. 

What might happen if we paused to listen for that small voice, to express gratitude for the seemingly mundane? Imagine the shift in perspective, the unfolding of hope and joy as we recognize God’s hand in our lives.

May we open our eyes, listen attentively, and embrace the wonder of what God might be doing in every moment. Your heart is a soft place for the Divine to stir; may you find God waiting there, ready to share God's love and grace.

And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, now and forever. Amen.