Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
October 9, 2023
1 Samuel 3:1-10
1 Now the boy Samuel was serving the LORD under Eli. The LORD’s word was rare at that time, and visions weren’t widely known. 2 One day Eli, whose eyes had grown so weak he was unable to see, was lying down in his room. 3 God’s lamp hadn’t gone out yet, and Samuel was lying down in the LORD’s temple, where God’s chest was. 4 The LORD called to Samuel. “I’m here,” he said. 5 Samuel hurried to Eli and said, “I’m here. You called me?” “I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go lie down.” So he did. 6 Again the LORD called Samuel, so Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “I’m here. You called me?” “I didn’t call, my son,” Eli replied. “Go and lie down.” 7 (Now Samuel didn’t yet know the LORD, and the LORD’s word hadn’t yet been revealed to him.) 8 A third time the LORD called Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “I’m here. You called me?” Then Eli realized that it was the LORD who was calling the boy. 9 So Eli said to Samuel, “Go and lie down. If he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD. Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down where he’d been. 10 Then the LORD came and stood there, calling just as before, “Samuel, Samuel!” Samuel said, “Speak. Your servant is listening.”
Good Morning. Be still and know that God is speaking!
.We live in an increasingly noisy world: the more gadgets we acquire, the more sounds to which we are exposed. We have fans, timers, HVAC systems, phones, TVs, dogs barking, and many more noise makers around us. Those who live in cities have even more noise to clutter their brains. I remember a line in the movie The Blue Brothers when Jake asks his brother how many times the train just outside their window went by. Elwood answers, “So often that you don’t even notice.”
We have become so desensitized to noise filling our brains that some people struggle to sleep when there is “no” noise. It’s too quiet, so they purchase noise machines that provide a base sound level as they sleep.
I personally like the quietness of the night. For me, it is a time of calmness and peace. Sometimes, in the divine space of the night, God interrupts my sleep to talk with me. Perhaps our ears our more sensitive when our eyes are closed or blocked by the darkness.
Are we so distracted by the sounds around us that we don’t notice when God speaks to us? Create a quiet space and invite God to join you. Be still and Be blessed by spending precious time with our Lord.
Loving God, We love you! We get distracted and forget to listen when you speak to us. Open our ears so that we may hear You. Thank you. In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Quiet time with God is a gift.
Are you listening? God is Speaking! Pastor Liz
Comments