The Voice of God by Our Hearts

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 9:21 am Post subject: The Voice of God by Our Hearts

The Voice of God by Our Hearts

Scripture:

Before the lamp of God went out, 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 thee any more, 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, Samuel. And Samuel said: Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.... And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and not one of his words fell to the ground. (1 Samuel 3:3-10, 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 said 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:

Few hear the voice of God calling them in the night, but He calls just the same. He remains beside our heart, patiently, calling us to Him. What we hear in the world does not drown out the voice of the Lord for He sends us many messengers. Blessed are they who hear His voice, for He has granted their ears a special gift. Blessed are they who do not hear, yet still respond faithfully to His call, for they hear not with their ears, but understand with their heart.

No matter how He comes to us, no matter whether we hear or feel His call, when we respond to Him we will grow in His ways and with the blessing of His love. The ways of the world will cause us to whither and die, but the ways of the Lord will bring us to eternal life. Let us then, open our hearts to His love and offer our love in return.

We are called by God, but as we lead our lives, do we respond to Him or do what we think is culturally acceptable? The message of our media is not to care for one another, but to seek selfish pleasures. The message of our politicians is not dependency upon God and one another, but dependency upon government and what is taken from others.

While we are tempted by the ways of the world, greater happiness awaits us through God. Though we are tempted to selfishness, we gain nothing through it which is lasting. The sadness of the world comes to us through sin. The joy of heaven comes to us through Christ. If we choose to follow in the way of the Lord, we are able to leave behind what leads us to eternal destruction.

If Jesus was to stand before us and ask for what we seek, how would we respond? Would we ask questions about the world or questions about the light of the world? There is much in the world we do not fathom, but there is even more about Him which is beyond our understanding.

Blessed were those who saw him and walked with Him for they stood in the presence of the Lamb of God. Before them stood the wisdom and love of the Lord. His disciples struggled to understand, but they knew in their hearts that He was the One to bring light to a world where darkness roamed. To them He would give the mission to spread His Word to the world and through their successors the Word would be spread to the generations. As the Word has been passed to us, it is now our turn to pass the Word to the generations to follow.

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