Daily Devotion, February 26, 2020

Devotion:

Read 1 Samuel 3:10-18.

I like the title, “Prayerful Listening, Prophetic Proclaiming” the Rev. Dr. Luke A. Powery gives to this scripture passage.

We have often celebrated Samuel’s calling from God and Samuel’s response of “Speak Lord for your servant hears.” But we stopped short of hearing the full story of God’s call to Samuel to bring difficult words to Eli, the Priest, his Mentor. The assurance of these verses is that God is with us always, on the mountaintop experiences and also through the challenges of life.

Reading this scripture passage, it might be easy to dismiss today’s devotional as reserved for ministers and missionaries. But wait, Samuel was a helper in the temple. Perhaps he was the one who kept the lamp burning in the presence of the ark of God. And Samuel, even as a young child, was called to bring a difficult message to Eli. God can speak “to” any of us and also speak “through” any of us.

Often we speak first and pray second. We speak from our opinions without doing the deep work of praying and listening, studying and researching scripture, seeking wisdom and understanding. Our hearts are tuned to listen to many voices instead of listening to God’s voice. Let us renew our commitment to pray and listen first.

God called Samuel to have the difficult conversation with Eli, the Priest, his Mentor. Samuel’s news is not good for Eli and his sons. Eli’s sons were not following God. Samuel had to be courageous to deliver this message to Eli. But Eli knew it was from God and received the message which Samuel had to give. God was with both Samuel and Eli.

Dr. Bruce C. Birch says “We are urged not only to discern God’s voice but to listen to what it asks of us as well. We are called to become the channel for God’s prophetic word to our own time.”

How is God speaking into our lives today? Are we listening? Do we live with the assurance that God is always with us and gives us the courage to speak and listen when it is a difficult conversation to have?

Personal Worship Option:

Speak Lord, we are listening. Help us to discern your true voice. Remind us that you are with us even during the challenges of our lives. Amen.