The Story - Chapter 10
In the beginning of Chapter 10 of The Story, we find a young Samuel serving in the temple under the guidance of Eli, the high priest. One night, Samuel hears a voice calling his name. At first, Samuel mistakes the voice for Eli, but he eventually realizes that it is the Lord calling him. What a sweet story about discerning the voice of God, right?! But wait…
The message Samuel receives is one of impending judgment on Eli - his mentor - due to his sons' sins and Eli’s failure to restrain them (pg. 122 in The Story. You can read what Eli’s sons did in 1 Samuel 2:12-25 here).
The message Samuel receives is one of impending judgment on Eli - his mentor - due to his sons' sins and Eli’s failure to restrain them (pg. 122 in The Story. You can read what Eli’s sons did in 1 Samuel 2:12-25 here).
Ouch.
As hard as this story is, it holds a mirror up to our lives, revealing a sobering truth: that sometimes God’s voice brings us news we’d rather not hear. Yet, the way Eli responds to this difficult message can teach us about humility, openness, and the posture required to listen to God even in challenging times.
As hard as this story is, it holds a mirror up to our lives, revealing a sobering truth: that sometimes God’s voice brings us news we’d rather not hear. Yet, the way Eli responds to this difficult message can teach us about humility, openness, and the posture required to listen to God even in challenging times.
Our former bishop, Gary Mueller, shared a devotion in 2018 that has stuck with me. In the devotion he asked, “How do you react when you see another person, especially if that person is poor, a different color, speaks another language, or comes from a country where struggling to survive is harder than you can begin to comprehend?” Bishop Mueller pointed out that it’s all too easy to be dismissive or judgmental, but “the fact of the matter is that too many people think this is an appropriate - even worthy - way to respond. But it’s not. It never is. In fact, it’s sinful.” Bishop Mueller reminds us that God loves each person so much that Jesus died on the cross for them, just as He did for each of us. This love leaves no room for superiority, only shared dignity and value in God’s eyes.
In order to hear God as Samuel or Eli did, we must approach God with this same humility. We cannot begin to listen to God, let alone hear Him speak through scripture, spiritual revelation, or the spark of another of God's beautiful creations unless we first face what separates us from God and from each other. And that means bringing the worst of ourselves to God - the darkest, most painful, most shameful parts of our lives. Only when we are brave enough to lay our sin at God’s feet, saying, “I’ve hidden nothing from You. Nothing separates us now,” can we genuinely say, like Samuel, “Speak, Lord. Your servant is listening.”
This humility is not the polished, performative kind, but the raw, real acceptance of our need for God. In facing our sins and flaws, we stop acting as our own god and start letting God shape us. This was a truth Eli came to know. When Samuel courageously told him God’s message, Eli responded simply, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes” (pg. 132 in The Story, 1 Samuel 3:18). Eli’s humility, even in facing the harsh reality of his own failings, allowed him to accept God’s will. It is this posture - one of full openness to God’s refining fire - that invites God to work through us, no matter how challenging or uncomfortable His message may be.
In order to hear God as Samuel or Eli did, we must approach God with this same humility. We cannot begin to listen to God, let alone hear Him speak through scripture, spiritual revelation, or the spark of another of God's beautiful creations unless we first face what separates us from God and from each other. And that means bringing the worst of ourselves to God - the darkest, most painful, most shameful parts of our lives. Only when we are brave enough to lay our sin at God’s feet, saying, “I’ve hidden nothing from You. Nothing separates us now,” can we genuinely say, like Samuel, “Speak, Lord. Your servant is listening.”
This humility is not the polished, performative kind, but the raw, real acceptance of our need for God. In facing our sins and flaws, we stop acting as our own god and start letting God shape us. This was a truth Eli came to know. When Samuel courageously told him God’s message, Eli responded simply, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes” (pg. 132 in The Story, 1 Samuel 3:18). Eli’s humility, even in facing the harsh reality of his own failings, allowed him to accept God’s will. It is this posture - one of full openness to God’s refining fire - that invites God to work through us, no matter how challenging or uncomfortable His message may be.
When we let go of our need to be right, to be powerful, or to control how God works, we begin to see God’s hand in all areas of life, even through the people we may have overlooked. Bishop Mueller’s words remind us that God loves the people we struggle to love - whether they look, live, or believe differently than we do. God loves each person so much that Jesus went to the cross for them. And because of this love they’re just…like…you!
In humility, we are invited to see God’s image in others, knowing that they, too, are cherished by God. Through this lens, we are reminded that God’s voice may sometimes call us to love more deeply, challenge our prejudices, and make uncomfortable changes in our lives. When we open ourselves fully to God’s transformative power, we can echo Samuel’s response: “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” I invite you to take a moment to pray:
Lord, help me come before You with a humble heart. Show me where I have strayed, reveal the sins I have hidden, and give me the courage to bring all of myself to You. Help me to listen to You, even when Your words are challenging, so I may grow closer to You and love others as You have loved me. Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening. In Jesus’ name I pray - Amen.
In humility, we are invited to see God’s image in others, knowing that they, too, are cherished by God. Through this lens, we are reminded that God’s voice may sometimes call us to love more deeply, challenge our prejudices, and make uncomfortable changes in our lives. When we open ourselves fully to God’s transformative power, we can echo Samuel’s response: “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” I invite you to take a moment to pray:
Lord, help me come before You with a humble heart. Show me where I have strayed, reveal the sins I have hidden, and give me the courage to bring all of myself to You. Help me to listen to You, even when Your words are challenging, so I may grow closer to You and love others as You have loved me. Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening. In Jesus’ name I pray - Amen.
Recent
Archive
2024
August
October
Categories
no categories
No Comments