ARE YOU LISTENING?

NOTE:  My blog posts may become infrequent (as they have in the past month) as we enter in to a very busy time of year for us.  I will, however, make a blog post when I have opportunity.  I plan to resume blogging on a regular basis at the start of the new years.  Thanks!

In 1 Samuel chapter one there was a lady named Hannah .  She was barren and had not given birth.  Hannah wanted a baby in the worst way.  So much so that she prayed to the Lord and told God if He would give her a baby - her heart's desire - she will in turn give him back to the Lord all the days of his life.  Wow!  Can you imagine making that type of a promise to God?  Sure enough, God granted her petition and a baby boy was born.  This baby boy was named Samuel.

Now as Samuel grew, Hannah did not forget her promise to God.   Once Samuel was weaned, Hannah took items for a sacrifice along with Samuel to Eli, the prophet of the day.  She made her sacrifice and then presented to Eli her baby, Samuel.  Samuel was very young at this time.

Now fast-forward to chapter three of 1 Samuel.  Samuel had grown some.  One night, as Samuel laid down to go to sleep for the night he heard a voice calling his name.  He got up and went to where Eli was laying down, thinking it was Eli who had called for him.  Eli, not having called for Samuel, sent him back to bed.  This happened a second and a third time.   The third time it dawned on Eli that it was the Lord who was calling Samuel.  He instructed Samuel to return to his bed and the next time he hears that voice to respond, "Speak Lord, for your servant hears!"  And that's exactly what Samuel did.

Reading Scripture we see God used Samuel in a great way.  When God called him He had a plan.  Samuel yielded to God's call and God's will and followed the plan God laid out for him.

I often wonder how many of us miss the calling of God because we do not recognize the voice of God?  How many miss the blessings of God because we do not recognize the voice of God?  Perhaps we are so wrapped up in the things of God that we miss the voice of God and thereby miss out on His leading, His calling and His blessings.   We get so wrapped up in doing that we neglect to listen, much like Mary and Martha when Jesus visited them.  We get wrapped up in the social club, that passes for today's church, and miss out on genuine fellowship, encouragement and a real walk with the Savior.

The reality is that church can happen anywhere!  It's not confined to a building or even a home.  We recently met with a couple at a restaurant for six hours.  Yes, that's right - six hours.  We ate, we fellowshipped, and we talked about God and His Word.  We shared what the Lord has been doing in our lives and what God is showing us.  We left there feeling like we were just in a New Testament Church gathering.  No one lead, there was no singing...church just happened!  We loved it!

I want to encourage you, in your walk with the Lord, to just let God be God!  Be real and genuine in your journey with Jesus.  Be attentive to the voice of God speaking to your spirit.  It may well be God has blessings to pour out on you.  He may be desiring to reveal His plan for your life to you.  Be real in your worship - wherever it may take place.  Let church happen anywhere!

Until next time...enjoy the journey!

Ray     

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