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1 Samuel 3:1-10 – Praying through the Bible #84 – A Prayer that Listens
Listening is a lost art, a lost courtesy, a lost tool for self-improvement, and a lost Bible study method. If we do not listen, we will be lost eternally. Too often when others talk, we are thinking what to say, ready to protect ourselves or defeat them. Too many suffer numbness of the ears; they become numb and dumb and do not listen when people rightly complain or correct. Too many times we do not listen to the Holy Spirit as we study; or hear Jesus providentially answer our prayers. If we want our lives to change, if we want to know God on a deeper level, we need to learn to listen.
Eli’s sons are wicked (1 Samuel 2.12). They don’t know Yahweh (2.12). Not knowing leads to immoral and irreligious acts. Not knowing results from not listening to revelation; or to people pleading about their selfishness; and “They would not listen to their father” (2.25). Listening to God starts by listening to our parents. And yet, Phinehas and Hophni are religious. Talk about a conundrum. They’re priests who don’t know God.
Eli’s protégé “son” Samuel, is a good boy. He serves in the Tabernacle (2.18) and grows in favor with God and people (2.26). He too is very religious; but somehow he doesn’t know Yahweh either (3.7). Being religious does not mean having a relationship with God. The explanation for this lack of familiarity is “the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him” (3.7). So far Samuel has not personalized God’s word. There is a difference between acts for God and experiencing God. All this is about to change.
Samuel is asleep, and in a very peculiar place. He is sleeping next to the Ark of God (3.3). God calls out to Samuel and the child is listening, “Here I am.” Then in error he runs to Eli, and repeats, “Here I am; you called me” (3.5). Eli says, “I didn’t call, go back and lie down” (3.5). This happens a second time and third time. After the second time, the text explains, Samuel does not know the LORD. After the third time Eli understands it was Yahweh calling the boy. Eli instructs his young student, “If He calls you say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening” (3.9).
Samuel’s life changes because he listens and prays. Listening is the beginning of Samuel getting to know God. Too often people confuse the voice of “Want”, with the voice of God. Read what God says to Samuel, and it is not something Samuel wants to hear or repeat (3.11-18). Know God and know God’s voice. Know God and obey God’s voice. To know God, we have to be more than religious. We need to listen to God calling, commanding, and correcting through His word, providence, and even the words of others. And then pray, “Speak, for Your servant is listening” (3.12).
Prayer Challenge: Pray and practice to become better listeners. Study not by just seeing words, or the sins of others; but by seeing ourselves by listening to God’s voice.
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