‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’ I Samuel 3:9
Samuel was a young man in the service of God when God selected him to be the next judge of Israel and the “king maker”. But before he would be any good to God he had to listen. Once he did this he was ready to be God’s person.
That’s the way it is for us as well. It is only when we listen that we can move into God’s service. The problems we face in today’s world could be solved if men would listen.
We live in a world of spiritual stagnation. We have stopped listening to God. We come to church and go away unchanged. Do we not realize that what is said in the services is God speaking to us? When we read the Bible and sing songs and hear sermons, are they not God’s way of communicating with us?
Modern preachers are not spokesmen for God like the prophets of old but when they properly exegete the Word God is speaking. Are we listening? It is not that God is dead or silent. We are just not listening.
God is not without witness in our world. His word is still living and active. (Hebrews 4:12) The line to God is closed, not because God is not speaking, but because we are not listening.
God will speak to us in our worship this morning. Will we listen? God will not suddenly appear in our building today. But you can be sure that he will speak to us. Will we listen?
Be aware of God wanting to communicate with you today and open your ears to His voice. Watch carefully the words of the songs. Be attentive to the reading of the Word. Find something in the sermon that God wants you to hear. As we commune around the table, what is God saying to you?