Happy Saturday, Church!

This Sunday Pastor Mark is taking us through 1st Samuel 3:1-11 to talk about hearing God's voice and continuing our sermon series, Diving Deeper. I found some things about the first 7 verses that I love and wanted to share with you today, so let's start by reading them together:

Samuel 3:1-7

“The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.

2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel.

Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

6 Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.”

There are three things that stand out to me about this passage:

that God speaks to everyone. Even people who do not know God. Verse 7 says, "Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him." God was speaking to Samuel even though Samuel did not know God's voice.
Eli is expectant that God will and is speaking to his son, Samuel. After the third time Samuel goes to Eli thinking Eli was calling for Samuel, Eli does not send Samuel back to his bed. He doesn't discount that Samuel is hearing his name. Eli believes Samuel- believes that his son is hearing God call Samuel's name- and sends him back to listen to God's voice. Eli is expectant that God will speak to his son. Wow.
Sometimes, God's voice sounds like other voices. In this instance, Samuel thought God's voice was his dad's. When I hear God's voice, sometimes it sounds like my own voice. That being said, it's so important to check in with how you feel when you are listening, and check what you hear with what we know God is like. We know God is good, loving, kind, patient, and just. We know God is not condemning, God is not shame, anxiety, fear, and we know God does not hide from us. So if we hear something that makes us feel what God is not, then it is likely not God and we can have peace in the fact that we know what God is like and who God is. In the same way, if we hear something that makes us feel the things that we know God is, then it's quite possible that God has spoken.

As we listen for God's voice, let's also remember that God can speak differently to each of us. And God will speak differently to each of us because we are God's children and God knows us better than we know ourselves. Let's try it out.

Place yourself in an environment where you find peace. Go for a walk. Pick up a pen and paper. Paint. Lie down. Listen to worship music. Go for a run. Do what gives you peace, because God is peace. Say to God what Samuel says: "Here I am Lord, you called me. Speak." Recognize the first thing you hear. Check with how you feel, and what you know God is like. Be expectant that God will and is speaking, and know that God will speak in a way that you will hear God, because God loves you. It may not be right away, it may not even be tomorrow. But you will hear God, you just have to listen.

See you tomorrow in-person at 10:30am or online friends,

Chelsea Maitland

Worship Leader