1 Samuel: Listen for God's voice

Lieutenant Kat Whitmore considers the impact of responding to God’s call.

Key texts

• 1 Samuel 3

For anyone considering calling, a key question is: How do we hear God’s voice? At times, many of us may have said: ‘I just wish God would make it clearer!’ Or asked: ‘Why doesn’t God speak in obvious ways, like he did in biblical times?’ While, nowadays, we may not hear of God writing on walls, vocalising from burning bushes or leading crowds with pillars of smoke and fire, we believe that God is still communicating with us. He is still guiding and leading, and he is still calling his people.

Pause and reflect

• How do we listen for God’s voice? 
• How can we tell who God is calling us to be? 
• How can we tell what God is asking us to do?

Our study passage begins with a bleak picture: ‘In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions… Eli … could barely see’ (vv1 and 2). Unable to convince his own sons to live well, Eli had become an ineffectual leader who was out of practice at hearing the voice of God.

However, the situation was about to change because of one person – Samuel. God chose Samuel, who ‘ministered before the Lord under Eli’ (v1), to hear and deliver an important message.

Why did the Lord choose Samuel? Might it be because, in stark contrast to Eli, Samuel was ready? Samuel postured and positioned himself in such a way that he was prepared – knowingly or otherwise – to hear from God.

Samuel slept ‘in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was’ (v3). The ark signified the presence of God. Samuel positioned himself near it in the inner sanctuary of the Temple. Even as he slept, he purposefully stayed within the presence of God. There, Samuel showed willingness to respond, even though he didn’t know to whom he would be responding.

When he first heard his name, he ran to Eli and said: ‘Here I am; you called me’ (v5). Unlike Eli, whose weakening eyes may be symbolic of his failure to see and hear God, Samuel was ready and responsive.

Remaining close to God – abiding in God’s presence – puts us in a position to be ready to hear and respond when God calls our name.

Pause and reflect

• How are you positioned?
• How close and ready are you to hear from God? 
• How can you ensure the conditions in and around you are right so that, when God speaks, you will hear him?

We go on to read that Samuel wasn’t trained in hearing God’s voice. Hearing the Lord speak to him was a new experience. He had neither learnt that skill nor been told how God might communicate with him. Samuel needed input and support from someone with experience to guide him through that first encounter.

Despite his initial lack of recognition, Eli was able to coach Samuel through the experience, pointing out that it was God who called Samuel.

It can feel like there is so much mystery around listening for God’s voice. I wonder if we talked more about it and shared our experiences and practices, whether we would all feel more equipped to listen to God, and to know with confidence when he is speaking.

A child growing in their faith recently said to me: ‘God just doesn’t talk to me.’ Realising that they had been expecting an audible voice, we went on to talk about the many different ways God speaks – through the Bible, through the words and actions of other people, through experiences such as physical movement, music and nature, through our imaginations, through visions – and the idea of hearing from God began to be demystified. God is speaking to us all, but we may need to learn how to listen.

Pause and reflect

• How did you learn to hear God’s voice? 
• What are the ways God speaks to you? If you aren’t sure, who could guide you and offer their wisdom? 
• Who could you encourage to listen for God’s voice? 
• Who could learn from your experience or wisdom?

Our openness to hearing God’s voice is important. We recognise Samuel’s willingness when he hears his name being called. First, ‘here I am’ (v4) and, later, ‘speak, for your servant is listening’ (v10). Samuel not only placed himself close to God, but also had open ears. Once he understood that it was God calling him, he invited God to speak further. It was then that God could reveal the full message to Samuel.

The message that Samuel had to deliver to Eli was difficult. However, he obediently shared with Eli all that the Lord had told him, and the message was received.

In fact, Samuel’s listening and responding to God’s calling resulted in change throughout Shiloh. Before, the word of the Lord had been rare. However, after Samuel learnt to listen, we’re told: ‘The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh’ (v21). The messages Samuel delivered never fell to the ground (see v19) and, in turn, his words impacted all of Israel (see 1 Samuel 4:1). One person’s willingness to listen for the voice of God changed things for the whole community.

Pause and reflect

• What is our response when God speaks? 
• How easy is it to say ‘here I am’ when God asks us to be, say or do something difficult? 
• One person’s listening and responding can affect a whole community. What does that mean for us? 
• What has God been saying to you through this passage? How will you respond?