Identifying God
Sermon
I used to be quite good
at identifying people I'd met previously. There was a time when I could boast
that I never forgot a face. But as time has gone on, that skill has diminished
to the point of non-existence. I now often fail to recognise people I've met
before, or worse, I sometimes identify a complete stranger as someone I know.
Naming someone correctly is even more difficult. I may recognise the face or
know the person quite well, but be unable to remember their name.
Of course, the better I know someone, the more able I am to recognise them and even to call them by the correct name. And once I've actually worked with someone, I get to know them much better and the name seems to stick - most of the time!
When God called little Samuel, the boy had no idea what was happening. We're told that Samuel did not yet know the Lord, although he must have known all about the Lord since he had lived in the temple from the age of about three when he was weaned. Samuel, probably now aged around seven, worked with the old priest Eli, and even slept in the area of the temple where the ark of God was situated, which might have been quite a scary experience for such a little boy.
When Samuel heard his name called in the middle of the night rousing him from sleep, he didn't doubt that it was his master Eli who was calling him. Perhaps he was too young to question that an adult was calling him at such an hour. Or perhaps he was so used to obedience to Eli that he immediately ran to Eli's room, "Here I am, for you called me."
"I didn't call you," said Eli, "go and lie down again."
Samuel obediently went back to bed and presumably fell asleep immediately, completely unfazed by this odd encounter. Perhaps he was used to strange responses from Eli. But Samuel was soon woken again by the voice calling him, "Samuel, Samuel!"
As before, Samuel ran to old Eli. Eli was growing blind, so it may be that he needed Samuel to perform all sorts of small tasks for him. "Here I am," said Samuel, "for you did call me."
But again Eli denied that he had called the child and sent him back to bed. When Samuel ran to Eli a third time with the same story, Eli began to realise that something strange was happening and instructed Samuel to say, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening."
Since we're told at the beginning of the story that the word of the Lord was rare in those days and visions were not widespread, it's to Eli's credit that he eventually cottoned on to what was happening. If something similar happened today, most parents would probably tell their children that it was only a dream, and to go back to sleep. Many of us might find it difficult to believe that God might be speaking to a seven-year-old child.
God had a message for Eli, the old priest, who might have wondered why God didn't speak to him direct. Why was it necessary for God to involve a third party, and a child at that? The message Samuel was to deliver to Eli was troubling even for a child and Eli had to practically drag it out of Samuel, who was reluctant to be the cause of Eli's anguish. The Bible tells it like this:
Again, it's to Eli's credit that he enabled Samuel to convey the message exactly as God had spoken. And it's also to Eli's credit that although he had failed to bring up his own sons to be decent, God-fearing people, he had clearly brought up Samuel so well that Samuel was able to tune into God and to hear God's voice. And Eli himself received the message with apparent equanimity, accepting God's judgment without question.
It's a lovely story and apart from Jesus, is the only story in the Bible where God speaks directly to a child. But it took place thousands of years ago, about 900 BC. Does God still speak to us today and if so, how do we identify God's voice?
Like Samuel, children are often more spiritually sensitive than adults, for they don't have reason and experience to suggest that God might not exist, or if God does exists, probably wouldn't be talking to small boys or girls. We should take great care to ensure that our children's spirituality is properly nurtured.
It may be that God is speaking to all of us all the time, but that few of us are able to hear God's voice and that those who do hear fail to interpret it as God. God speaks to us, for instance, through beauty, through art, through science, through books, through worship, through the Bible. But perhaps God also speaks through dreams, through insights, through coincidences, through friends.
If you have asked God a question or wish to hear a message from God, then search for God's response through all these means. But beware! God's message to Samuel was not entirely welcome and God may require you to do something which you dread. Once you begin to identify God's voice, then like Samuel, your life may change for ever. Be sure that's what you want before you really begin to listen for God, and then, like Samuel, do whatever God says, trusting God to guide you through.
And remember, the more you get to know someone, the easier it is to remember who they are and to recognise them. Once you begin to get to know God, you'll find that you're increasingly able to identify God - and that brings all the riches and blessings you could possibly want.
Of course, the better I know someone, the more able I am to recognise them and even to call them by the correct name. And once I've actually worked with someone, I get to know them much better and the name seems to stick - most of the time!
When God called little Samuel, the boy had no idea what was happening. We're told that Samuel did not yet know the Lord, although he must have known all about the Lord since he had lived in the temple from the age of about three when he was weaned. Samuel, probably now aged around seven, worked with the old priest Eli, and even slept in the area of the temple where the ark of God was situated, which might have been quite a scary experience for such a little boy.
When Samuel heard his name called in the middle of the night rousing him from sleep, he didn't doubt that it was his master Eli who was calling him. Perhaps he was too young to question that an adult was calling him at such an hour. Or perhaps he was so used to obedience to Eli that he immediately ran to Eli's room, "Here I am, for you called me."
"I didn't call you," said Eli, "go and lie down again."
Samuel obediently went back to bed and presumably fell asleep immediately, completely unfazed by this odd encounter. Perhaps he was used to strange responses from Eli. But Samuel was soon woken again by the voice calling him, "Samuel, Samuel!"
As before, Samuel ran to old Eli. Eli was growing blind, so it may be that he needed Samuel to perform all sorts of small tasks for him. "Here I am," said Samuel, "for you did call me."
But again Eli denied that he had called the child and sent him back to bed. When Samuel ran to Eli a third time with the same story, Eli began to realise that something strange was happening and instructed Samuel to say, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening."
Since we're told at the beginning of the story that the word of the Lord was rare in those days and visions were not widespread, it's to Eli's credit that he eventually cottoned on to what was happening. If something similar happened today, most parents would probably tell their children that it was only a dream, and to go back to sleep. Many of us might find it difficult to believe that God might be speaking to a seven-year-old child.
God had a message for Eli, the old priest, who might have wondered why God didn't speak to him direct. Why was it necessary for God to involve a third party, and a child at that? The message Samuel was to deliver to Eli was troubling even for a child and Eli had to practically drag it out of Samuel, who was reluctant to be the cause of Eli's anguish. The Bible tells it like this:
Then the Lord said to Samuel, "See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering forever."
Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son." He said, "Here I am." Eli said, "What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that he told you." So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said, "It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him." (1 Samuel 3:11-18)
Again, it's to Eli's credit that he enabled Samuel to convey the message exactly as God had spoken. And it's also to Eli's credit that although he had failed to bring up his own sons to be decent, God-fearing people, he had clearly brought up Samuel so well that Samuel was able to tune into God and to hear God's voice. And Eli himself received the message with apparent equanimity, accepting God's judgment without question.
It's a lovely story and apart from Jesus, is the only story in the Bible where God speaks directly to a child. But it took place thousands of years ago, about 900 BC. Does God still speak to us today and if so, how do we identify God's voice?
Like Samuel, children are often more spiritually sensitive than adults, for they don't have reason and experience to suggest that God might not exist, or if God does exists, probably wouldn't be talking to small boys or girls. We should take great care to ensure that our children's spirituality is properly nurtured.
It may be that God is speaking to all of us all the time, but that few of us are able to hear God's voice and that those who do hear fail to interpret it as God. God speaks to us, for instance, through beauty, through art, through science, through books, through worship, through the Bible. But perhaps God also speaks through dreams, through insights, through coincidences, through friends.
If you have asked God a question or wish to hear a message from God, then search for God's response through all these means. But beware! God's message to Samuel was not entirely welcome and God may require you to do something which you dread. Once you begin to identify God's voice, then like Samuel, your life may change for ever. Be sure that's what you want before you really begin to listen for God, and then, like Samuel, do whatever God says, trusting God to guide you through.
And remember, the more you get to know someone, the easier it is to remember who they are and to recognise them. Once you begin to get to know God, you'll find that you're increasingly able to identify God - and that brings all the riches and blessings you could possibly want.
