July 04, 2022
Daily Devotion:
"The Art of Listening... "
1 Samuel 3:10
New International Version
10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
Ever talked to anyone on the phone for what seemed like hours and didn't have to say anything on your end except art occasional "uh huh"? (If not, is there any chance you are the talkative one?) Some folks have an amazing capacity to tap into a stream of consciousness that seems never to quit. You wonder when they ever stop to listen! Then again all of us are pretty good at selective listening. Oh, we hear, of course, but when do we truly listen? While husbands are notorious for this conjugal flaw, it is not a trait to be cultivated. Quite the opposite, learning to listen is a sign of maturity, especially when the one we are listening to is God. So young Samuel was wise beyond his years to say to God, “Speak to me. I'm all ears." He wasn't simply telling God that he was listening to the sound of his voice, but listening with an eagerness to respond to whatever God wanted him to do.
Good conversations are always two-sided. There's an easy give-and-take going on. You talk, then listen - listen, then talk. As much as wanting the other person to know what's on your mind, you want to know what's on theirs. It's a matter of mutual respect. A good example of a phenomenal conversation occasioned Samuel's birth. As a disconsolate barren woman, Hannah frequently prayed to God that she might have a son, whom she vowed to give over to the Lord. When the text tells us that "God remembered her," it's obvious that God had been listening intently to Hannah's prayers. This is an amazing thought-that the Lord of the universe not only speaks to his creatures, but listens!
The question to ponder is: Do I have balanced conversations with God, as eager to be "all ears" as “all mouth"?
