1 Samuel 3:1-10
Amid the hustle and bustle of daily life, we often find it hard to hear God’s voice. Many ‘voices’ shout for our attention – deadlines to meet, bills to pay, meetings to attend, phone calls to make, children to care for. We try to read our bibles, but struggle to be still and receive a word from God. Much like today, where apathy and lack of belief permeates our society, so also in the days of Samuel few people were listening to God. Politically and spiritually Israel was in a terrible state, as they had no king, and everyone did as he or she saw fit. In today’s Old Testament reading we hear about Samuel as a young man, hearing the word of the Lord for the first time, and beginning what was to become an important prophetic ministry.
Within the Most Holy Place, the innermost room of the temple, stood the Ark of God, containing the stone tablets on which God’s commandments were written. Here, only the high priest could enter once a year. In front stood another small room, the Holy Place, in which were the altar of incense, the bread of the Presence, and the lamp-stand, which was kept lit throughout the night. Beyond that was a space with small rooms where the priests and Samuel would have been sleeping.
It was the depth of the night, and the temple was shrouded in deep darkness. The distant flicker from the lamp-stand shed the only light, throwing long shadows. Samuel lay on his mat, trying to sleep, but he was restless. He began to think about his mother. How he missed her! How he longed for her next visit, when she would bring him a new ephod, the long, sleeveless, linen robe worn by all the priests. He was nearly twelve now, and was fast growing out of the one she had brought him last year. As he lay there, half awake, half dozing, on three occasions he thought he heard a voice calling him. Thinking it was the old priest, Eli, he got up each time and went to him. But each time he found that he was mistaken and was sent back to bed. Eli, thought to himself, ‘What’s the matter with the boy tonight? That’s the third time he has disturbed me – he’s not usually like this. Finally, through his experience and spiritual perception, he began to realize that it might be God speaking to the boy, so he said to Samuel, ‘It may be the Lord, so if it happens again, just say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Samuel obediently returned to his mat and lay down. After a while the voice came again, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Instead of jumping up, Samuel did as Eli had told him, he replied, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’ This time, God spoke, and gave Samuel a message that was to change both the course of his life and the future of the nation.
This story of Samuel’s call is a favourite of mine, and is probably one of the most evocative stories in the bible – it tugs at our heart strings. This young boy, who was so longed for by his mother, is an answer to her fervent prayer, and in loving response, she gifts him back to God, and from about the age of three, he has lived at the shrine at Shiloh, where he has been an assistant to the old priest Eli, learning the ways and the routine of the temple. Can you imagine giving up your child at the tender age of three and only seeing him or her once a year? I suppose it is a little bit like the boys who attend the Cathedral choir schools nowadays, and from the age of about seven or eight they are trained in singing and taking part in the cathedral services. It is quite a pressured and disciplined life, practising every day, fitting in school and homework, and also taking part in most of the daily cathedral services. But of course they see their parents more often because they only board during term time and go home in school holidays.
We are told that Samuel did not yet know the Lord, he had no personal experience of God, which explains why he did not understand what was happening, when God called him. We hear that God didn’t choose to speak very often. Have you ever tried to have a conversation with someone who is pre-occupied with other things and obviously isn’t listening? It is so frustrating!
Perhaps God felt like that, when his people weren’t listening to him, but ignoring his commands and going their own way. But he has a plan of action, and will speak in his own good time.
It is interesting to look at the way he works. Firstly, he doesn’t do what the people might expect him to do. He is God, so why should he? When they expect him to speak, he remains silent, and speaks when they are not expecting it. God chooses his own time to speak, which shows us that we need to be vigilant and alert at all times, ready for his guidance. God chooses someone who is younger and who has not been influenced by the sinful ways of the people, someone who will be a faithful and obedient servant. One might have expected the message to be given to Eli who was in charge and was older and more experienced. But God sometimes uses unexpected channels; his choice often depends more on faithfulness than age or position. So we must be prepared for the Lord to work at any time, in any place through anyone he chooses. Samuel is thought to have been about twelve years old when all this took place. It would have been around the time of his Bar Mitzvah, the initiation ceremony, which acknowledged his status as an adult and as a full worshipping member of the Jewish community. Each time, God calls his name twice as he did when calling other great leaders like Abraham and Moses. God chooses to speak to someone who is receptive and listening, and he speaks to him in the silence and stillness of the night, when his voice can be heard more clearly.
I remember at the beginning of 1985, not long after I became a Christian, being off work for about three months, following a major operation. I decided to make good use of the convalescence period, and to read and spend time with God, while I had the opportunity. One evening, I had been reading a Billy Graham book in which he was asking the question, ‘Are you assured of your faith?’ He suggested that if a person wasn’t sure, he or she should pray and ask God to give that assurance. I decided to do this, and then lay down to sleep. About three hours later I awoke with a start, and with the sound of a massed choir ringing in my ears. They were singing the hymn, ‘O love, that will not let me go.’ I felt convinced that the wonderful words of that hymn, were God’s answer to my prayer, and how quickly the answer came!
Are we listening people? Are we alert, prepared, and expecting that God might speak or act? Will we hear and understand him if he does? And most importantly, how will we respond? Listening and responding, are vital if our relationship is to grow. How important it is that both as individuals, and as his church, we spend time with God, not only talking to him, but waiting quietly upon him, listening and watching and seeking his will. It is not easy to do this, in the busyness of the day with all its distractions. This is why our church worship is so important, because it allows us to distance ourselves from our everyday routine, and draw apart, to worship God with others, to draw close to him and receive from him in the holy meal. Our private prayer times are equally important and we need to try and find space and stillness there too, so that we can hear him if he chooses to speak to us. When Jesus prayed, he always moved a distance away, or went up the mountain side alone – somewhere quiet, where he could connect with God without being disturbed, and he gave his disciples similar advice – ‘Whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. – Matt. 6:70) So perhaps this New Year, we can all resolve to be better listeners, and try to find space and stillness, so that when God’s message comes, and he calls us to action, we may hear him, and respond willingly and with love.
Here I am, Lord, is it I Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me,
I will hold your people in my heart
Pauline Norris. Lay Reader.