Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. (1 Samuel 3:9)
I walk out, asking God to direct me to a place where I can have time with Him. My daughter asks to be dropped off at school for some activity, and I decide to use that opportunity to look for a hideout for prayer. The Lord brings me to this restaurant and secures parking for me in front of a barbershop. At that point, I sensed the leading to walk into the barbershop, and the gentleman greeted me so kindly and asked if I needed a shave. Of course NOT. I just had one recently, but something in me says YES! I sit down, and he begins to work on my head. Somewhere in the conversation, he asks my name.
Habib! I said, and then the magic of the name happened: he said I am Mohamed. What? “Habib” meets “Mohamed,” you need to be of Islamic descent to know that impact. “Habib” means the “most beloved,” and “Mohamed” is a well-known, revered founder of the Islamic religion. Did you know that Habib was the other name for prophet Mohamed? He was called “The Most Beloved of Allah,” Habib. Instantly, our friendship struck, and I asked him what his native country was, to which he hesitated. I now get it; that is why the Lord brought me here. I looked him straight in the face and said I have been praying for you and your people daily, that sunk in his heart.
I move to the “Restaurant” next door, make new friends, and sit down to sip my “herbal chai” as I break my fast for the day. At that point, I began to think our God is humorous to bring me all this way. Then, God impressed this thought that has kept getting louder, from yesterday, through the night, and even now…. I am back to my “restaurant,” listening to what the Lord wanted me to hear, yes, with my herbal tea.
SPEAK LORD FOR THY SERVANT HEARETH
Who said these words? It is the Little boy Samuel. First Samuel Chapter 3 opens up with a sad state of spiritual affairs in Israel, “…and the voice of God was rear in those days.” God counted on Eli, the priest, and his sons to keep the sanctity of the priesthood. While Eli warned his sons against defiling God’s service, he failed to reprimand them and stop them from continuing to dishonor God’s service.
God is so annoyed that he sends a messenger to deliver these words to the household of Eli, the priest in 1Samuel 2:13,35 Behold, the days are coming that I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. …And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and my mind. Eli, the priest, fails to hear the voice, but the little boy Samuel must pass along the ultimate Judgment. Three times, the little boy Samuel hears the calling but thinks it is the Priest Eli’s calling until Eli figures out that maybe it’s God’s calling and tells the little boy how to respond to a “divine calling.”
SPEAK LORD FOR THY SERVANT HEARETH!
Thus says The Lord… How often have I tried to reach you, “Eli,” but cannot find you? You no longer hear my voice or get my lead, and I have to look for another conduit to pass the message to you. Sometimes, I must use a little innocent soul, a young believer, your child, or even your pet to let you know that I am speaking to you! It is not strange for God to make “donkeys” speak when the messenger is blind and deaf to see or hear God. Listen to my lead before it is too late to attend.
Oh, little Samuel, do not fret; you hear promptings you do not understand. You can surely hear the voice but do not know the source. Be humble and seek a spiritual leader to help you understand God’s leading. But do not fear and hide the message from God; deliver it with respect and honor. Do not be overcome with pride that God is using you to speak to the “mighty” but rather fear because you are bearing the message from The Almighty One that should cause you to tremble.
Take your Bible, read the story of 1 Samuel 3, and Reflect on verse 19. Three things stand out:
- The Master: Who and what is calling your attention? Is it the Lord or something else? Beloved soul, you must come to the place where you can isolate God’s voice apart from distractive voices that seek your attention.
- The Message: What promptings are you receiving? Is it worth obeying? Can you earnestly say, “Speak, Lord.” Pay attention to what God is prompting your heart through his word in your meditation.
- The Messenger: Are you reliable to receive and transmit the message? Then you can say without hesitation, “Thy Servant heareth.” Take heart, seeking soul; you may look inexperienced, but God has chosen to speak through you. Trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.
As I walk out of my “Restaurant,” I make the same call too, “Here I am, Lord, Speak for thy servant heareth.”
May the Lord continue blessing your ministry. He is certainly using you to make an impact to so many unreached populations.
Sister Miriam, your ministry and outreach to the persons and families with special needs is unmatched. May you continue listening to the voice of God even when the voice of God is scarce among many.
Habib you are such a blessing. These devotions are so challenging. Keep on
Baba Joe, what an honour to read from you. Thank you for opening your heart and home to us as a professor and as a mentor. You taught us to listen during those days when you were our Old Testament Professor. Today we serve the nations because of people like you who invested dearly on us. Speak Lord, thy servant hearth.
For real Rev. I maybe inhibited by my earthly activities from getting the God’s voice. I’ll be getting time to converse with God this year 2024.
I was touched by your days word Rev Habib .Need prayers in my service to God in my church.
You are not alone Brother Alfred. We are so busy in the name of the Lord until we fail to listen to the same God we serve! So we are so distracted when the Lord calls.
What a challenge! How many times have i ignored God’s voice! May this new year be different. May i become a better listener and obedient to God’s voice. Thank you Pastor Meshack for the word. God bless you.
Dear Sophia, sometimes we are not even aware that God is speaking. I think we get preoccupied with familiar sounds until we get distracted from hearing God’s voice. But is not given up with us… He is still calling… When will we know it is Him calling to respond?