When our girls were born, I don’t remember a technician coming to the room to test their hearing before we left the hospital. I have been blessed to be in on the delivery of each of our seven grandchildren, and I was also there when the technician came to test their hearing. They were each one declared free of any hearing problems. Their ears were perfect!
Now, three out of the seven are boys. I think that there have been times when their mommies have wanted to go back to the tech and have her double check their hearing. Not that the granddaughters don’t have problems listening every once in a while, but the boys seem to have greater difficulty with the skill of listening. I’ve never considered the possibility of deafness as their problem, but I have often wondered if it isn’t a matter of selective hearing!
In 1 Samuel, I was reading the story of Eli the prophet and Samuel, the boy left by his mother, Hannah, to worship before the Lord and be trained by Eli. As you read through these scriptures you see that Eli’s own sons had trouble listening, for they didn’t obey the words of their father, nor did they obey God’s word. “But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for the Lord desired to put them to death.” Therefore they suffered and ultimately died as a result of their lack of willingness to listen and obey.
As a young boy, Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord close to the ark of God when he hears a voice. “Samuel.” “Here I am,” he replies. Samuel assumes that Eli is calling him, so he runs to him to see what he is in need of and Eli tells him that it was not him that called. He instructs him to go back to sleep. Samuel returns to his resting place. He hears the voice again calling out, “Samuel.” “So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Eli tells him that he did not call him and instructs him to go back to bed. The third time Eli clues in as to what is happening and who is calling Samuel. He instructs the young man to once again go back and lie down but when and if he hears his name being called again, he is to answer with these words, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’”
“Then the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.” So God did speak and instructed Samuel as to what was going to take place in the days ahead. Samuel attentively listened. The next morning Eli knew that Samuel had heard from God and that it was probably prophetic and had to do with his own future. So, he asked him what God had said. Samuel, though reluctant, told Eli word for word what God had said about his fate and that of his family. “So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him.”
The scriptures go on to tell us that God fulfilled His word spoken to Samuel. As Samuel grew, it says that “the Lord was with him.” It also tells us that the Lord revealed himself again to Samuel. God knew Samuel had ears to hear. He knew he had an attentive spirit and a submissive heart to do the will of God.
Deafness is not the issue with our grandsons hearing. Their ears are perfect. I truly believe that each one has a heart to obey; they are just distracted at times, as we all are. They are selective at times, choosing to tune in if they feel like it, as we all do. I found myself asking the Lord to give me ears to hear. Oh, how I want to be still, waiting and anticipating His voice, as Samuel was that night and every day afterwards. “The Lord revealed himself to Samuel.” Oh, that God would continually reveal himself to me! Speak Lord, for your servant is listening!
Father, Samuel was still, waiting for Your voice. How distracted and busy I am running here and there. Help me to lay aside all the weights of the world and be still, listening attentively for Your voice. Let me seek after You and learn the value of listening to You. Guide me, direct me, and lead me in the way you would have for me. Oh Father, help me to have a willingness to listen and obey!
“Therefore they suffered and ultimately died as a result of their lack of willingness to listen and obey.” 1 Samuel2:25b
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Matthew 11:15
“But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, in the latter days you will return to the Lord your God and listen to His voice.” Deuteronomy 4:29-30
dianne