(Source from The Word Among Us)

Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. (1 Samuel 3:9)

Samuel lay sleeping when he first heard someone calling his name. He ran to his mentor, but Eli was not calling him. So Samuel returned to bed, only to hear the voice twice more. When Samuel appeared at Eli’s bedside for the third time, the priest realized that it was the Lord he had heard. The God who loves to speak to his people was now calling Samuel. So he gave Samuel timeless advice: “Reply, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening’” (1 Samuel 3:9). 

This same God wants to speak to us! It’s not hard to hear him, but like Samuel, we need to learn to listen. The good news is that God loves us and wants us to hear his voice. So let’s take Eli’s words to heart.

Speak, Lord. God wants you to know him. He’s always speaking, always trying to reveal himself to you. You can believe that he has a message for you, so confidently express your desire to hear him. This means sitting before the Lord and fixing your heart on him alone. “Speak, Lord. I want to know you more.”

Your servant. Everything we have comes from God. He is our Master, and we are his grateful and humble servants, eager to hear and obey his word. This means more than passively waiting for a message from the sky. It means offering yourself to the Lord with a willing heart, open to God’s plans—even if they differ from your own. “I am your servant, Lord. I’m ready to do your will.” 

Is listening. It’s not easy to hear God’s voice when we’re surrounded by noise. So to listen for the Lord, we will need to find a quiet place away from the clatter that can drown out the Lord’s voice. We may need to silence our anxious thoughts and doubts, too. But with God’s help, we can set aside those thoughts and listen for his voice instead. “Quiet my heart, Lord. I’m listening for you.”

“Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.”