“Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” — 1 Samuel 3:10
This month in worship, we have been thinking about God’s call and the various ways we are invited to respond. God’s call does not typically come with a loud clap of thunder but most often comes as a whisper into our ordinary days. It’s like a tug on the heart, a persistent thought that won’t let go, or a nudge toward compassion or change. We sometimes expect God’s call to be dramatic, unmistakable, or a life-altering experience in one single moment. But more often, God calls us through the ordinary moments of life: a conversation, a need we notice, a burden we feel, or a longing we cannot ignore.
The prophet Samuel was just a boy when God called his name. He didn’t recognize God’s voice at first. He assumed it was someone else. That’s comforting, isn’t it? Even faithful people can miss God’s call at first. Even those close to God sometimes need help learning to listen, and thankfully, Samuel had Eli to point him toward God’s call. Samuel’s story teaches us that God is patient with us. God repeats the call. God waits for us to listen and respond.
Another thing I find comforting is that God’s call is not only about what we will do. Most of the time, it's more about who we will become. Sometimes God calls us to a new path. Sometimes God calls us to deeper faithfulness right where we already are. God may call us to speak up, to step out, to let go, to forgive, to love more boldly, or to trust more fully. But all the while, he is shaping us into the people he calls us to become. As he calls us, he continues to shape us into people who reflect the light and the love of Christ.
When Samuel finally understood who was calling him, he responded with surrender and openness, simply saying, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” as his mentor Eli had instructed him to do. Samuel didn’t have a plan. He didn’t know the outcome. He simply made himself available and opened his ears and his heart to listen to the Lord.
What if God’s call today is not about doing something big, but about noticing something small? A person who needs kindness. A moment that needs courage. An encouraging word that needs to be spoken. A rest that needs to be taken. God still calls today. God still speaks, and God still invites us to follow. We don’t need to have everything figured out. We only need to keep listening and responding to the voice of the faithful One who calls. Indeed, Jesus calls, “follow me,” and we are invited to respond!
Jesus loves you, Union Family, and I do too!