God Still Speaks to Those Who Listen

Scripture: And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel! 1 Samuel 3:10 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying. Psalm 77:1-2

Observation: We see two examples of late night conversation with the Lord. First, in Samuel, we see God speaking to young Samuel in the middle of the night. Then, we see Asaph in Psalm 77 stretching out his hand in prayer to God in the night, wondering if God’s love has ceased.

Application: Last night, my youngest son cried out in the night. He was having cramps in his foot. My wife and I rushed in with foot rubs and ice packs. And later, he awoke crying out again. Both times we came in and I am not sure we eased the pain, but we did get him back to sleep. When it is 3:30 in a dark house with pain in your body, you want your father and mother to listen to your cry.
Sometimes we doubt God speaks to us. Sometimes we wonder if he listens to us. Scripture is replete with examples like these two of a Father who speaks and listens. With Samuel, God is speaking to someone who is not asking for it. With Asaph, God does not seem to speak, but as the night goes on, Asaph realizes that God has already spoken through the great deeds of salvation he has already done in the lives of his people, the “years of the right hand of the Most High.”
Sometimes God speaks to us through His voice of the Holy Spirit, who lives in our hearts. Sometimes he speaks through the reviewing of his mighty deeds, through his word. Either way, we have a God who does speak, who does have much to say.

Prayer: God, may I be like Samuel, who is ready to listen as a servant to a master. May I be like Asaph, who is unafraid to cry out to God from a place of pain and doubt. Show me the next step in my growing conviction that you speak when we listen.