God is always calling YOU! (Part 1)

God is always calling you. Have you noticed?

Sometime back, I was preparing to speak a lesson on hearing from God at a women’s luncheon. As I rehearsed the message, I was reminded that God is always calling. Not like on the phone or yelling my name to come in for dinner. More like beckoning and inviting me.

As I practiced my message of hearing, trusting and obeying God, I began to remember my own journey. I love God and love to talk about God. It’s my passion. When we encounter God or experience God, God changes us. But, when we begin hearing from God, that’s when everything changes!

That’s what happened to me anyway. I heard God say, “Sell your business and write the book.” That book became The Me Disease; a Spiritual Journey from me to We.

What an incredible journey we have been on. But what if I had not heard God? What if I had not trusted or obeyed? Think of all the exciting things I would have missed.

I want everyone to hear from God. And I believe everyone can.

Hear God. Trust God. Obey God.  

Let’s look at the Old Testament story from 1 Samuel 3:1-11. The lessons Samuel learned from his first encounter of hearing God, can help us as we begin to learn how to hear from God as well.

“The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.

² One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. ³ The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. ⁴ Then the Lord called Samuel.

Samuel answered, “Here I am.” ⁵ And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

⁶ Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”

⁷ Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

⁸ A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. ⁹ So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

¹⁰ The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

¹¹ And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle.”

“Speak, for your servant is listening.”

There is so much goodness in the Word of God. Let’s dig in and see what we can learn.

Proximity and eagerness is everything. This was just about as close as one could get to the Presence of the Lord.

We know by the proximity of where he slept, he was eager to hear from God.

Are you eager to hear from God?  

This is our first lesson. Reflect on your own life. Where are you in proximity to God? Do you spend time in silence? Are you eager to have an encounter with the Almighty?

These are important questions. But, this is just the beginning.

If you want to hear from God, you can. Proximity and eagerness are the first steps in making this a reality.

Let us pray: