“And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for Your servant is listening.’” –1 Samuel 3:10
Have you ever wanted to hear from God? Perhaps you had a major decision to make or prayed earnestly for a positive result on an exam, test, interview or collaboration. You pause anxiously for an answer. The anticipation can be agonizingly arduous as you wait and wait and wait. For many of us who work for Loma Linda University Health or are matriculated in the university, we came in response to a sense of calling.
One of my favorite stories to read in the scriptures is found in 1 Samuel 3. I can’t recall how old I was when I first heard it. I vaguely remember reading it in the Uncle Arthur Bible stories when I was quite young. In the 12 years since I arrived to serve Loma Linda University Health, this story has deepened my understanding of what it means to listen.
We find the young boy Samuel serving in the temple under the tutelage of the high priest, Eli. According to the instructions given by God to Moses, services were carried out daily, monthly and annually to address the sin problem and create a place where God could live among them.
Yet there is a strange idea introduced in this narrative. There had been no consistent communication from the Lord for many years.
The responsibilities that accompany our roles as scholars, managers, health care providers, executives, researchers or support staff can often keep us so busy and distracted that we may find ourselves wondering why we can’t hear from God. Just as in the time period of our story, the good news for us today is that God still speaks!
Samuel’s sleep is interrupted three times before dawn by a voice calling his name. The priest recognizes that the Lord wants to communicate with this young boy and instructs him on how to respond if called a fourth time: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”
Perhaps, like Samuel, some of us have never heard the voice of the Lord before. And there may be others of us who are like Eli and have lost our perception of what God’s voice sounds like. Despite both these scenarios, what is clear to me is that God still speaks!
Listening is a skill that takes practice. During this week’s Week of Renewal, we have spent time as a community being reminded of how important it is to make time to listen to God and each other. It takes intentional practice to be aware of the presence of God while we attempt to continue His ministry to the people in the San Bernardino community and beyond. While serving others in the name of God, it is imperative that we do not fail to make time to listen to Him personally and corporately.
I am thankful that God still speaks! Join me in making these five words a daily prayer and practice while walking on campus, walking into a meeting, before entering a patient’s room or speaking to students:
“Speak, Lord, I am listening.”
With God’s help this should not be difficult to accomplish in an academic setting. Classes are in session.
—Dilys Brooks, MDiv, is associate campus chaplain for Loma Linda University.