Did You Hear That?

M

y mother has always been an early riser.  In fact, morning is her favorite time of day and rarely does anyone wake up before she does.  As a child, I remember hearing her in the kitchen, preparing breakfast and singing.  My mother's voice always made me feel safe and secure.  I can still hear her singing in the morning even though I now live over 1000 miles away!

Early one Saturday morning when I was about 10 years old, I had a very peculiar experience. As usual, mom was already awake when I got out of bed.  She had already begun her faithful task of preparing breakfast, working diligently to have it ready when the rest of us woke up.  The odd thing about this particular morning was I couldn't find mom anywhere in the house.  She wasn't in the kitchen, she wasn't in the back hall doing laundry, she wasn't outside, I checked all those places.  I wouldn't have thought anything about her absence had I not been able to hear her singing. 

This completely baffled me. Although I could hear her voice, there was no physical evidence of her presence in the house.  I frantically searched every room but couldn't find her anywhere.  Finally, I woke my dad and asked him to tell me where she was.  He had no idea of her whereabouts and insisted I look one more time. Once again, I conducted a thorough search of the house. I returned to find him asleep again and when I woke him the second time, he told me to calm down, listen carefully, and then follow the sound of her voice.

I took his advice and found mom!  She was in our basement preparing breakfast.  Our house had a full basement with a kitchen that we used during the summer months.  Summers in North Carolina are hot and humid but the basement was nice and cool.  However, since we had only used the kitchen a few times, it hadn't entered my mind that she'd be down there.  Nevertheless, my dad was right and when I calmed down, listened for her voice, and followed it, I was able to find her and eventually get breakfast.

The Old Testament book of 1 Samuel tells the story of Samuel, a young man who had a similar experience with God.  The first three chapters tell how his mother, Hannah, who was childless, prayed to God for a son.  She promised God she would dedicate him to His service if He would grant her this request.  God did allow Hannah to have a son and she kept the promise she made to God and took Samuel to the temple so he could serve the Lord.

Chapter 3 tells how Samuel served God in the temple and records the story of God's call upon his life.  While Samuel was sleeping, God came and called to him.  Samuel mistook God's voice for that of Eli, the prophet.  Three times God came and called him and three times Samuel went to Eli, believing the prophet had called him.  Finally, Eli realized God was calling Samuel and instructed the boy to answer the Lord and make himself available to him.

In 1 Samuel 3:7, we read the following statement concerning Samuel: "Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him."  This is a very interesting passage and relates a great truth to which we all can relate.  Notice the Scriptures tell us that Samuel did not know the Lord and that God hadn't revealed his word to him.  This doesn't seem to be a very impressive statement until you realize its context.  Samuel had served the Lord since he was a small boy.  He slept near the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies.  He was that close to God, performing the necessary tasks of a priest but he did not yet know the Lord! (verse 7).         

On three occasions he mistook God's voice, not recognizing its source nor knowing how to answer it.  Frantically he ran to Eli, convinced the prophet had called him.  This is so typical of us.  We are so concerned about working for God that we very seldom ever listen to him.  So often we mistake God's voice for something else.  He continually calls us, wanting to relate to us, to speak with us, to share an important message with us.  However, we look elsewhere to discover the source of the voice we hear.   We will never discover God's message to us until we seek it from him.  Although there may be no physical evidence of his presence, his voice still calls us and invites us to commune with him.

That morning many years ago, I believe I understood what Samuel must have felt.  I heard my mom's voice, I knew she was somewhere in the house, but because I was unsure about her whereabouts, I couldn't concentrate on her location.  In a similar way, I have learned that in order to hear God's voice, I have to be still.  I have to listen and be available to him.  When he speaks to me, I must quiet myself and listen to his voice.  Only by placing myself in his presence can I fully hope to hear him, to speak to him, to commune with him.

Today as you go about your daily routine, take time to stop and listen for God's voice.  If you quiet yourself and open your heart you will hear him.  When he calls you, say with Samuel, "Speak Lord for your servant is listening!"