Let Us Listen

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2018 10:45 am Post subject: Let Us Listen

Let Us Listen

Scripture:

Samuel slept in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. And the Lord called Samuel. And he answered: Here am I. And he ran to Heli, and said: Here am I: for you did call me. He said: I did not call: go back and sleep. And he went and slept. And the Lord called Samuel again. And Samuel arose and went to Heli, and said: Here am I: for you called me. He answered: I did not call you, my son: return and sleep. Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither had the word of the Lord been revealed to him. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose up and went to Heli, and said: Here am I: for you did call me. Then Heli understood that the Lord called the child, and he said to Samuel: Go, and sleep: and if he shall call you anymore, you shall say: Speak, Lord, for your servant hears. So Samuel went, and slept in his place. And the Lord came, and stood, and he called, as he had called the other times, Samuel.

So Samuel told him all the words, and did not hide them from him. And he answered: It is the Lord: let him do what is good in his sight.
(1 Samuel 3:3b-10, 19)

But the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord: and the Lord for the body. Now God has raised up the Lord and will raise us up also by his power. Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ?

But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit. Fly immorality. Every sin that a man does is without the body: but he that commits immorality sins against his own body. Or know you not that your members are the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have from God: and you are not your own? For you are bought with a great price. Glorify and bear God in your body.
(1 Corinthians 6:13c-15a, 17-20)

The next day again John stood and two of his disciples. And beholding Jesus walking, he said: Behold the Lamb of God. And the two disciples heard him speak: and they followed Jesus. And Jesus turning and seeing them following him, said to them: What seek you? Who said to him: Rabbi (which is to say, being interpreted, Master), where dwell you? He said to them: Come and see. They came and saw where he abode: and they stayed with him that day. Now it was about the tenth hour. And Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who had heard of John and followed him. He finds first his brother Simon and says to him: We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. And Jesus looking upon him, said: You are Simon the son of Jona. You shall be called Cephas, which is interpreted Peter.
(John 1:35-42)

Reflection:

Do we see and understand the ways God works within our lives? He seeks a relationship with all of us, but so few recognize His voice or are aware of His presence. It is easy for us to see the world and we are perhaps blinded by it. We are tempted to believe that with all of His power and glory, if God speaks to us, it will be as with fire and thunder. It is true He has spoken in such ways, but such times of which scripture accounts are few. For those who hear, they understand that God prefers to speak quietly to the heart. If we are to hear, we must clear out the noise which hides His whisper; the noise of the world.

God has spoken from the burning bush. (Exodus 3:4) God has spoken from the mountains. (Exodus 19:17) He has spoken with thunder. (Exodus 19:19) He has spoken from the clouds, (Matthew 17:5) but He also speaks with a light silent sound. (1 Kings 19:11-12) For most of us, we will not hear Him with the ears of our head, rather, we will hear Him with the ears of our heart. Let us, then, in moments of praise and in moments of prayer, let us listen from our heart for His whispers.

It is our weakness to sin which blinds us. It is our selfish desires which deafens our ears to His Word. If it were simple in this world to turn from immorality, there would be no evil with which we would contend, but it surrounds us and endeavors to separate us from our Creator. Alone, we cannot hope to triumph over evil, for it corrupts the proud and consumes the selfish. Its temptations are beyond our control unless we seek the assistance of God. If we turn our heart to Him, He will protect us from the one who endeavors to rob us of a place within the kingdom of the Lord. We need not fear the death of our body, but we must fear that which has the power to destroy our soul. ( Matthew 20:28 )

There were two who listened as they heard of the One described. They saw Him from a distance and endeavored to know who He was. They listened to His voice and followed Him. Afterwards, they brought another who also heard and who also followed. This is how the Word made flesh may be found by the faithful and for the blessings of those who wander in the shadows; by listening and sharing so that all may hear and all may follow.

Sadly, the evil one seeks to confuse the way with noise and distractions so few may hear and fewer follow. This is the way of the world and how souls are too often lost. Let us not fall into the traps of temptation, but seek the wisdom of salvation. Let us open our hearts and make a place for God within so we may hear His Word, so we may allow it to guide us, so we may share of His blessings, and so we may prepare for the day He will gather in the faithful so they may share in the eternal blessings of His kingdom. In our prayer and our daily endeavors, may it be so.

Questions for further reflection:

In what ways do we seek to hear the voice of our Creator?

In what ways do we care for the temple of the Holy Spirit within us?

In what ways do we seek to follow our Savior and share of His blessings?

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier