Quietly Waiting
“The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’” – 1 Samuel 3:10
Dear Friends,
First, it’s great to be back among you again after a couple of weeks away. Hearing all that’s been going on, from daycare hirings and new flooring installations to the great guest musicianship of Maggie Goodish and preaching of Rev. Debbie Evanovich, not to mention that continued hard work of our staff, elders and deacons – I’m overjoyed!
Just yesterday night, I got to help lead worship for all of the Youth serving at Mission Washington, along with Megan and Josh, Faith, Carly, Corinne and Bria – it was so wonderful! Not just the experience myself, but especially to see these young women using their gifts and talents to lead others in worship. It’s one thing when it’s “at home” in our own church, it’s another thing to see them doing it “out there” in a new setting, among strangers. They did phenomenally well!
The evening program consisted of a re-cap video, some announcements, a large group game, some worship music, a message and then a panel that continued on the topic that was preached on earlier. That topic happened to be hearing God and the message was centered on Samuel’s encounter with God as a little boy, when he initially mistakes God’s voice for the voice of Eli the Priest.
In the story, after young Samuel runs into Eli three times, the Priest considers it might be God calling Samuel, and so he sends him back with some instructions to “lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’
Two things are implicit in this instruction. First, is the necessary waiting. Eli could only presume that it was the LORD calling Samuel and that he would continue to call, but there was no guarantee. Samuel had to lie there and wait.
Second, was the necessary of calm and quiet – around Samuel and inside Samuel. In order to hear, he needed to be silent himself, expectantly listening, but not filling the space with a bunch of his own noise.
Samuel did both. He was quiet, and he waited, and when indeed, God did speak up again, Samuel was ready to respond.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been noticing more and more my need to unplug, turn-down, turn off even, the various voices and inputs that are constantly bombarding me. When you have the power of a super-computer in the palm of your hand, it’s so easy to let it fill your eyes and ears and mind with stuff. But even good stuff, constantly mainlined into our minds isn’t necessarily good. It can actually drown out the still small voice of God, whispering into our ears.
The message last night was really good. It included the idea that God does speak to us – in lots of ways. I’ve seen it. I’ve heard it – in my lives and in countless others. I wholeheartedly agree – God does speak. But I also know from personal experience, that if I can easily drown out God’s voice if I don’t quietly wait for God to speak.
This day, this week, this summer, I invite you craft some quiet time and space, to step into some silence, and cultivate an ear to hear what God wants to say to you.
Welcoming You to Grow in Jesus – one quiet moment at a time,
Pastor Don