Of late, the ancient story of the Israelite boy Samuel, who heard the voice of God in the living quarters of Eli the priest, has been coming to mind.
You know the story. Hannah, Samuel’s mother, had offered her son back to God’s service, after long years of praying for relief from her barrenness ended with his birth. In thankfulness, she gave him to God at a very young age, bringing young Samuel to live with Eli where the boy ministered to and for the Lord.
One night, Samuel heard a voice calling his name. Thinking it was Eli, he went to the priest. “I have not called you,” said Eli. “Go back to sleep.” Three times it happened, and then Eli realized it might be God speaking. He told Samuel to respond with the following if he again heard the voice. Say, “speak Lord, for your servant is listening,” instructed the old priest.
Well, it happened again, and Samuel responded properly. God revealed to the growing boy the ominous fate of Eli’s sons who were violating their duties as priestly offspring, and Samuel went on to be a faithful prophet of God.
He listened to the voice of God, and acted accordingly.
Over the past year or so, my wife and I have been increasingly sensitive to a recurring missive that, at this point at least, might be presumptive to assume is the voice of God. However, we don’t want to ignore the possibility, either.
We have become increasingly burdened about the almost obscene inequity of wealth between our western societies and third world poverty. We have so much, and they have so little. It’s not fair; it’s not just; and it’s not right. And for sure, it’s not God’s will.
Yet we do so little about it.
Of late, especially, we’ve been praying and realizing that of course, the two of us can’t solve the problem. But we’re also realizing that we don’t have to continue as we are. In our own way, we can at least begin to be a part of the solution, rather than exacerbating the problem by tacitly condoning it.
We don’t need all that we have. We can convert some assets. We can live on much less. We can use the proceeds to become more active in efforts to alleviate the inequities we see.
We can use our gifts in the myriad of opportunities that are there right now, many through our own church and denomination. We can do less thinking and take more actions.
Speak, Lord, for your servants are listening.
You know the story. Hannah, Samuel’s mother, had offered her son back to God’s service, after long years of praying for relief from her barrenness ended with his birth. In thankfulness, she gave him to God at a very young age, bringing young Samuel to live with Eli where the boy ministered to and for the Lord.
One night, Samuel heard a voice calling his name. Thinking it was Eli, he went to the priest. “I have not called you,” said Eli. “Go back to sleep.” Three times it happened, and then Eli realized it might be God speaking. He told Samuel to respond with the following if he again heard the voice. Say, “speak Lord, for your servant is listening,” instructed the old priest.
Well, it happened again, and Samuel responded properly. God revealed to the growing boy the ominous fate of Eli’s sons who were violating their duties as priestly offspring, and Samuel went on to be a faithful prophet of God.
He listened to the voice of God, and acted accordingly.
Over the past year or so, my wife and I have been increasingly sensitive to a recurring missive that, at this point at least, might be presumptive to assume is the voice of God. However, we don’t want to ignore the possibility, either.
We have become increasingly burdened about the almost obscene inequity of wealth between our western societies and third world poverty. We have so much, and they have so little. It’s not fair; it’s not just; and it’s not right. And for sure, it’s not God’s will.
Yet we do so little about it.
Of late, especially, we’ve been praying and realizing that of course, the two of us can’t solve the problem. But we’re also realizing that we don’t have to continue as we are. In our own way, we can at least begin to be a part of the solution, rather than exacerbating the problem by tacitly condoning it.
We don’t need all that we have. We can convert some assets. We can live on much less. We can use the proceeds to become more active in efforts to alleviate the inequities we see.
We can use our gifts in the myriad of opportunities that are there right now, many through our own church and denomination. We can do less thinking and take more actions.
Speak, Lord, for your servants are listening.
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