Our reading is from I Samuel 3:1-10. The people of Israel have settled back into a lax lifestyle. Their attitude toward God and His vision for them as a nation had become indifferent. Their leader, the high priest, Eli, was old. Unless something happened the reigns of leadership will be passed to his two wicked sons, Hophni and Phinehas. The only bright spot in the whole story is a boy named Samuel. His name means “asked of God.” He had been entrusted to Eli a decade earlier by his mother, Hannah. In time the tables turned, it is Samuel who now cares for the old man’s needs. Surprisingly, God speaks to Samuel and breaks the silence. Here is an interesting question.

Why did God speak to Samuel? Why didn’t God speak to the old priest, Eli? Why didn’t God speak to Eli’s sons who were in the prime of their lives? Perhaps a better question is, why doesn’t God speak to us? For years, I would utter the same prayer before I would preach. “Dear Father, we have grown weary of human voices and human opinions. Father, what we really want is a word from you.” Why is a word from the Lord so rare? In this blog, I want to look at three qualities Samuel had in his life that made him attractive to God. They take the form of three words. Perhaps God isn’t speaking to our society because we lack these qualities.

The first word is the word others. God speaks to those people who are concerned about other people. God is frustrated with people who live for themselves. It is hard to see God when your eyes are fixed on yourself. Samuel illustrates that fact for us. Why did Samuel assume the voice of God he heard was Eli? There are two reasons. First, this was the first time God had spoken to him and he did not know God’s voice. Second, a large part of Samuel’s life was caring for the aging Eli. He didn’t just live for himself, he lived for someone else, Eli, and he heard a word from the Lord.

I am proud of many things I did in the ministry. One of those things is sending youth on an annual mission trip. The camps were sponsored by a youth organization called Group. The goal was to help people in need and to help young people experience Jesus. We did it for over twenty years at Western Reserve. Twice we co-hosted a camp within a few miles from our church building in Youngstown, Ohio. Those trips were life-changing for everyone involved.

Every year I would be at the church when the youth returned from a trip. The scene was always the same. They would get out of the vans and act like they were returning from war – they were limping and tired. However, something special always happened, they would tell me about the week. They told me about the funny things that happened. They would tell me how hard they worked. They would tell me about the people they met in their small work group from around the country. They would tell me about the people they helped – the poor widow, the young mother with cancer, the crippled veteran. All the residences they worked on were considered substandard housing. They would tell those stories with a smile, and end by saying, “you should have been there!” Those stories were not unique to just the youth, it is true of everyone who gets involved in missions. It is the same for all the mission trips – local, regional, national and international.  There is something about walking in some else’s shoes that changes you. When you get your ears off the details of your life, it changes you. How much time do you spend worrying about yourself and your loved ones? How much time do you spend worrying about a stranger? Maybe that is why a word from the Lord is so rare? God speaks to us when we are concerned with someone else’s needs. Samuel was concerned about Eli. The first word is others.

The second word is the word opportunity. God speaks to people who put themselves in position to hear Him. Samuel positioned himself to hear God. Do you remember the story? God spoke to Samuel three times before Eli discerned God’s voice. The old priest instructed the boy to go back to bed and wait on the Lord. If the Lord speaks again then say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”  In other words, Samuel positioned himself to receive God’s word. When was the last time you positioned yourself for a word from the Lord?

We live busy, fast-paced lives. According to the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American spends 9.8 hours a day sleeping, 5.15 hours a day in leisure, 3.56 hours a day working, and 1.92 hours a day on household activities. That comes to a total of 20.43 hours each day. What are you going to do with the rest of your day? How many of the remaining 3.57 hours each day are you planning on spending with God? It is not an easy question to answer. I am convinced we make time for the things that are important to us. How important is God to you? How much time are you planning on spending with God? Samuel positioned himself to listen to God. Are you positioning yourself to hear God? Are you giving God an opportunity to speak to you? The second word is opportunity.

The third word is the word obedient. Maybe the word should be disobedient? Let me say this clearly – God does speak to us! One of the ways is through the Bible. That is why the Bible is so wonderful. The Bible is filled with God’s word and contains wonderful models for holy living. The problem is the way we view the Bible. Most people read the Bible like they are at a garage sale. They select only the parts that are pleasing to them and reject the rest. Samuel said in verse ten, “Speak your servant is listening.” In other words, Samuel was open to God’s word and God’s leading. God’s vision for him became a priority in his life. Can the same thing be said about you?

There is an old preaching story about a church that received a pastor. On his first Sunday, the congregation gathered excitedly and expectantly. Everyone was suitably impressed afterward. “My, how well he spoke” remarked one. “A superb sermon to be sure. If he keeps this up, we’re in for a treat” remarked another. Keep it up the new pastor did. For the following week he preached the same sermon. The people were puzzled, but generously surmised that it had probably been too busy a week to prepare a new sermon, with moving into a new house and meeting all the people. Yet he preached the original sermon the following week as well, and the week after that. The people were very concerned, and the church leadership decided it was time to confront their new pastor. They met him after the service and asked whether he had any other sermons or whether he planned to preach the same one for his entire ministry.” I certainly hope not,” said the pastor. “I plan on preaching a new sermon, once you put the first one into practice.”

All the spiritual disciplines mean nothing if we are not open to God’s word for us. Preaching and Bible study mean nothing as long as our opinions are more important than God’s word. Preaching and Bible study are not entertainment, they are God’s word to you. Do you really care what God has to say to you? Scottish theologian and preacher Peter T. Forsythe (1848-1921) was right when he said, “The first duty of every soul is to find not its freedom but its Master”. Why is a word from the Lord so rare? Perhaps, one of the reasons is we really don’t care what God has to say? The first word was others. The second word is opportunity. The third world is obedience. I end with this story.

Our 32^nd President, Franklin Roosevelt (1882-1945), often endured long receiving lines at the White House. He complained that no one really paid any attention to what was said. One day, during a reception, he decided to try an experiment. To each person who passed down the line and shook his hand, he murmured, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” The guests responded with phrases like, “Marvelous! Keep up the good work! We are proud of you! God bless you, sir!” It was not until the end of the line, while greeting the ambassador from Bolivia, that his words were truly heard. Nonplussed, the ambassador leaned over and whispered, “I’m sure she had it coming.” 30^th President Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933) once said, “No man ever listened himself out of a job.”

Listening to other people is a complex topic. Sometimes we don’t listen because we don’t hear. The Food and Drug Agency, tells us approximately 28.8 million Americans would benefit from wearing hearing aids. Sometimes we don’t hear what is being said because we are preoccupied. I am in this category. You can talk to me, and I don’t hear a word, because I am thinking about something else. Sometimes we don’t hear because we are guilty of selective hearing. That is when we hear what is being said, but we refuse to accept it. Like when your doctor tells you at your annual physical to diet and exercise. You hear the words but dismiss them. Listening to other people is a complex topic.

Listening to God is even more complex. Samuel knew how to listen. He heard God because, he was more concerned with others than himself. He heard God because he gave God an opportunity to speak to him. He heard God and was open to God’s leading. God is speaking to you. Are you listening?