God audibly spoke to young Samuel three times, but Samuel did not realize it was the LORD calling out to him. 1 Samuel 3:7 tells us: “Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.” Then Eli wisely instructed Samuel to reply the next time the LORD was calling to him and say: “Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.”
1 Samuel 3:10: “And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” Samuel was now ready and had his ears tuned to listen to God’s message to him.
Think about these three questions:
- How can I train my heart and mind to listen for God’s message to me in my life?
- Am I diligently and with anticipation waiting for God to speak to me each time I read His Word?
- In what ways does an awareness of God’s presence change the way I live each day?
It tells us in 1 John 2:20: “But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.” This “anointing” refers to the Holy Spirit. He is our comforter. He is our counselor. God gives us the Spirit of truth at the time of our salvation. At this point, the Holy Spirit immediately begins to illuminate our minds and is renewing us from the inside out.
But am I waiting and watching and listening for His Spirit to speak to me through the verses of Scripture I read this morning? What about my prayer time? Am I waiting to hear what God wants to say to me instead of monopolizing the conversation with all of my requests?
Much in our lives results instantly or quickly. It started with the Polaroid camera. Getting to see a printed picture of what we had just snapped within minutes miraculously would appear. We have microwaves for reheating and preparing our food within seconds. If our computer is not booting up quickly, we complain and want it replaced with a newer and speedier one. We use WAZE for finding the quickest route to our destinations. The Keurig Coffee maker enables making one cup of tea, or coffee, or hot cocoa, within minutes. Sending a text message or email has replaced writing a letter and putting it in the mail. So many things happen instantly in our generation. Patience is not our virtue.
But Psalm 37:7a states: “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him . . .” There is that word patiently.
Psalm 46:10 declares: “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted above the nations, I will be exalted above the earth!”
It requires patience for us to purposefully be quiet before the Lord. To only pause and sit at His feet. To wait for Him to speak to us through His Word and our prayers.
“The more you immerse yourself in the Word, the more closely your thoughts, emotions, and decisions will align with what the Spirit is saying to you and the more your flesh will lose its power and strength.” Priscilla Shirer.
Ephesians 6:18-19a declares: “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance making supplication for all the saints, and also for me . . .”
Am I watching and looking for God’s handprint in every person I encounter since I have asked God to bless and lead and guide me throughout this day? I ask Him to help me be that shining light for the people I am with, but does my faith in God show that? I so often fall short.
In this busy season of the upcoming holidays, may we stop, be still, and wait for God’s Spirit to speak to us, the anointed ones, in blessing our minds and hearts from His precious promises to us that we read and deposit into our mind and then develop deep into our heart.
For just a few minutes block out emails, block out messages, block out social media, and simply “be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him.”
My prayer for today: God I am patiently waiting for you to speak to me from the verses that I have just read in Your Word. Give me blessings, insight, and full knowledge of the many precious promises you have just waiting for me to read and reflect on. Thank you that your forgiveness is unconditional and you never bring up my past sins that You have mercifully and graciously forgiven! You are the great I AM! I praise you for being my overseer, my shepherd, my comforter, and how abundantly you have restored my life! Thank you, in Jesus name, Amen!
Let us train our hearts and minds to look for God working all things together for our good, as He has promised in Romans 8:28.
Let us have a new awareness of God’s presence with us all the day long.
Hebrews 12:1b-2: “. . . let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.”
Stop. Be still. Then patiently listen for God’s message.
You will enjoy watching one of my favorite Christian worship song YouTube videos, “It’s One of Those Days, Lord,” by Joseph Cheetham-Wilkenson. This is a “me too!” message in song.