[A ‘Tuesday Challenge’ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during October 2024]
“Speak oft with thy Lord”[1]
Three weeks ago our reflection about whole-life worship concluded with a verse that included the words above.
Note how the opening line above recommends speaking with our Lord. So many times we are tempted to speak to God, making our prayers a monologue rather than a two-way conversation. Do we offer him time to respond or even get a word in edgeways?
Maybe a still small voice does not meet our expectations and we keep talking whilst awaiting a more dramatic response. How often we fail to echo the words of Samuel:
Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’
1 Samuel 3 v10 [NIVUK]
Why are we reluctant to listen? Could it be that we do not expect to actually hear anything? A brief comment at the start of Samuel’s account offers some context:
And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.
1 Samuel 3 v1 [NKJV]
Is it significantly different in our time?
As we read through the story of Samuel we find that, after that first encounter whilst still young, Samuel made a habit of listening to God. He became God’s messenger to the people of Israel, rising from his start as an altar-boy under Eli’s tutelage to becoming the nation’s highest judicial authority. Sometimes the message he brought was good news, often it was not.
Samuel’s first challenge was to tell Eli about God’s judgement on his family. Eli had been a conscientious High Priest and he taught Samuel well but he neglected to train up his own children in the way that they should conduct themselves. By reason of their lineage his sons became priests themselves but they desecrated the calling, causing offence to God and to the people that they purported to serve. Eli’s failure to discipline them led to the whole family being punished severely.
Are we reluctant to convey God’s warnings to those who are near to us? Does that put us at risk of being implicated in their fate?
On one occasion, Samuel had to rebuke king Saul when he exceeded his remit by usurping the role of God’s representative. Later, God instructed Samuel to reprimand Saul after he disobeyed God’s command to utterly destroy those who were attacking Israel.[2] It could be argued that the effects of that disobedience are still apparent today.
Are we reluctant to admonish those in authority when they attempt to act contrary to God’s laws? Do we fear retribution or public disdain?
God used Samuel as his messenger because he was willing to listen but there is a down-side to listening – we might be called upon to do something that we might not like. Does obeying God threaten to take us outside our comfort zone? Samuel has a message for us too:
What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.
1 Samuel 15 v22 [NLT]
References:
[1] ‘Take time to be holy’, William D. Longstaff, c1882
[2] 1 Samuel 13 v13, 1 Samuel 15 v19
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Last week’s reflection: Where do I Begin?
Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © Steve Humphreys