September 30, 2024
Derek Smith
Lead Pastor
1 Samuel 3:10
The Lord came, stood there, and called as before, “Samuel, Samuel!”
Samuel responded, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
Listening is an incredibly difficult discipline in today’s culture. We are quite possibly the most distracted and disengaged culture in the history of mankind. Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Youtube, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, ESPN, Disney Plus, itunes, podcasts, vodcasts…..the list of mass media options to command our attention goes on and on. Few people now take the time to stop, look someone in the eye, and truly listen to what they are trying to communicate. Listening involves your ears, because you have to physically hear all that is being said. Listening involves your eyes, because you need to see the person’s body language and sense his or her mood when speaking. Listening involves your head, because you must discern what is being communicated and respond intelligently. Listening involves your heart, because when you truly listen you empathize with the person. Listening also involves your hands and feet, because truly listening to someone means to respond with action to the person’s request or need. Listening presupposes care and activity.
When Samuel responded to the call of God by saying, “Speak, for your servant is listening” the totality of his identity was in play. In essence Samuel was saying, “Okay Lord, fire away because I am ready to worship and obey you.” This is a great one liner prayer for us to add to our prayer lives every day, and it is a great declaration of obedience to the Lord before He ever directs us. See, God wants our “YES” on the table before He ever calls us. When was the last time you sat still before the Lord and simply prayed the above prayer? When was the last time you just sat in God’s presence and asked him to speak with an open head, heart, hands, and feet? Instead of us just bringing our laundry lists of requests, God wants to stop and listen for His voice on a regular basis. Turn off the phone. Turn off the TV. Pick up your Bible and a journal. Just pray this simple prayer and listen. God will speak. It may take a good while for all the noise in your head to cease, but oh the transformation that takes place when we hear God speak!
Lead Pastor
1 Samuel 3:10
The Lord came, stood there, and called as before, “Samuel, Samuel!”
Samuel responded, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
Listening is an incredibly difficult discipline in today’s culture. We are quite possibly the most distracted and disengaged culture in the history of mankind. Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Youtube, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, ESPN, Disney Plus, itunes, podcasts, vodcasts…..the list of mass media options to command our attention goes on and on. Few people now take the time to stop, look someone in the eye, and truly listen to what they are trying to communicate. Listening involves your ears, because you have to physically hear all that is being said. Listening involves your eyes, because you need to see the person’s body language and sense his or her mood when speaking. Listening involves your head, because you must discern what is being communicated and respond intelligently. Listening involves your heart, because when you truly listen you empathize with the person. Listening also involves your hands and feet, because truly listening to someone means to respond with action to the person’s request or need. Listening presupposes care and activity.
When Samuel responded to the call of God by saying, “Speak, for your servant is listening” the totality of his identity was in play. In essence Samuel was saying, “Okay Lord, fire away because I am ready to worship and obey you.” This is a great one liner prayer for us to add to our prayer lives every day, and it is a great declaration of obedience to the Lord before He ever directs us. See, God wants our “YES” on the table before He ever calls us. When was the last time you sat still before the Lord and simply prayed the above prayer? When was the last time you just sat in God’s presence and asked him to speak with an open head, heart, hands, and feet? Instead of us just bringing our laundry lists of requests, God wants to stop and listen for His voice on a regular basis. Turn off the phone. Turn off the TV. Pick up your Bible and a journal. Just pray this simple prayer and listen. God will speak. It may take a good while for all the noise in your head to cease, but oh the transformation that takes place when we hear God speak!
Posted in Daily Devos