1 Samuel 3:10 – Speak, for Your Servant is Listening

1 Samuel 3:10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

It took three times for Eli to realize that it was God that was speaking to Samuel. We have a choice every day to see the circumstance of our lives as random, unrelated events that happen by chance based on probabilities of occurrence given what has happened in the past. Or we can see each event as part of God’s plan for our lives unfolding little by little as we are changed day by day into the image of Christ.

If we live our lives with the former mindset, we might find temporary, simplistic answers to why things happen. Question: “Why did I test positive for COVID on the Friday morning of a Marked Men For Christ retreat that I was leading and bringing all the weekend supplies to?” Answer: “Because my wife had tested positive for COVID earlier that week and I didn’t take the necessary precautions to avoid being contaminated.” This could be true but it only leads to an endless cycle of questions and simplistic answers. “Why did she catch it?” “Because someone else wasn’t isolating.” “Why weren’t they isolating?” “Because they didn’t know they had COVID.” And so on.

Instead, if we live our lives trusting that each event is part of God’s bigger plan for our lives, the answer to our why questions always comes back to “because He loves us”. “Why did I test positive for COVID on the Friday morning of a Marked Men For Christ retreat that I was leading and bringing all the weekend supplies to?” Answer: “Because He wanted to spend some quality, intimate, alone time with me. And he wanted others to see that He trusted them with leading. And he wanted me to see that I didn’t need to do it all on my own. And He wanted me to see that He was working in my wife’s life also.” Question: “Why?” Answer: “Because He loves me. Because He loves them. Because He lovers her.” When life happens, be the one who responds, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”