April 10 - 1 Samuel 3:10

And the Lord came and called

as before, "Samuel! Samuel!"

And Samuel replied, "Speak,

your servant is listening."

1 Samuel 3:10

 

I can't help but view this story in terms of a classic, old comedy. In fact, I can just imagine the Three Stooges playing out a very human version of a very godly event.

 

Imagine Larry up in the attic, calling, "Curly, Curly." And Curly waking up and hurrying into Moe, "Here I am, Moe. You called?" Moe, of course would slap him in the face, saying, "No, I didn't. Go back to sleep."

 

A half hour, Larry calls again, barely able to contain his laughter, "Curly, Curly." So Curly wakes up and hurries in again, "Here I am, Moe. Did you call?" "Wake up and go back to sleep," shouts Moe, pushing the heavier stooge who falls, trips, flips, and gets up, shuffling his feet comically and mumbling in a high pitched voice, "Why, I oughta ..."

 

Again Larry calls, "Curly, Curly."

 

Again God calls, "Samuel, Samuel."

 

Eli, who's been awakened for the third time, recognizes that it must be a voice from above. Therefore, the old priest instructs Samuel to respond, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening," when the Lord calls again.

 

How many of us hear God's voice?

 

God is speaking constantly, but we're usually too busy running carpools and watching shows like The Three Stooges to notice God's voice. As the title of an old book put it, we're "amusing ourselves to death."

 

I don't know about you, but I need to continually spend a few more minutes in the silence, (and maybe spend a few more minutes in the presence of a faith-mentor too), listen more clearly and follow God more nearly.

 

In Christ's Love,

a stooge

who'd rather be a Samuel