Sometimes I Just Don’t Answer
I’m writing over at Proverbs 31 Ministries today and thought I’d share it with you too! This version has bonus content.
I was combing the tangles out of the freshly shampooed hair of one of my favorite six-year-olds. We chatted about important things such as our favorite song in Frozen, do dogs go to heaven, and which is the prettiest color—pink or purple. Then her mother called to her from another room. She didn’t answer.
“Your mom’s calling you,” I nudged.
“That’s OK,” she shrugged. “Sometimes I just don’t answer.”
I stopped mid-comb swipe. Seems we had some knots of a different nature to untangle.
After our “discussion” about listening to and obeying parents, she skipped off and left me to untangle a few thoughts in my own heart. Those words, “Sometimes I just don’t answer” weighed heavy on my heart like a waterlogged sweater. When it comes to listening to my heavenly Father, do I sometimes ignore the gentle nudges? Do I act like I didn’t hear Him and skip off to go about my business?
Sometimes I just don’t answer.
When the prophet Samuel was a young boy, he learned about answering when God called his. name. He was serving in the temple with Eli at the time. The older man had gone to sleep when the LORD called out to Samuel… twice. Both times Samuel thought it was Eli calling, but was assured it wasn’t.
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. 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.
The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
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. (1 Samuel 3:1-11)
I haven’t heard God speak to me audibly, but He does speak to me through Scripture, prayer, creation, circumstances and godly people. The Bible says, “For God does speak—now one way, now another…” (Job 33:14 NIV). The question is not, does God speak, but do I listen? Do I answer when He calls?
The Hebrew word for Bible is mikra or miqra, which means the calling out of God. He calls out to us from the pages of His Word. Not only that, He calls out to us by name! “I [God] have called you by name, you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1 ESV).
Jacob, Jacob (Genesis 14:1-4). Moses, Moses (Exodus 3:4). Simon, Simon (Luke 22:31). Martha, Martha (Luke 10:41). And yes, Sharon, Sharon. And yes, YOU!
So today, when we feel the gentle nudge, hear the gentle whisper in our hearts, let’s say, “Speak, for your servant is listening. I hear You. I will do what You say.”
Heavenly Father, forgive me when I ignore You calling my name. Forgive me when I ignore the truths in Your Word because they conflict with what the culture is telling me. Help me to listen quickly and obey completely. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Let’s rest in these words of Jesus today: “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. “Matthew 13:16 NIV
I’d love to hear from you! If you’ll join me in committing to answer when God speaks to your heart and listen to what He has to say the leave a comment and say, “Speak Lord, for Your servant it listening.”
Digging Deeper
One of the ways God speaks to me is through prayer. As I pray for others, I sense His gentle nudges. But sometimes we don’t know what to pray. That’s when we can pray God’s Word. When we pray the Word of God, we pray the Will of God.
Prayer is simply opening the storehouse of heaven for lavish blessings He wants to give. It’s the conduit through which God’s power is released, and His will is brought to earth as it is in heaven. Check put these two powerful resources, Praying for Your Child from Head to Toe and Praying for Your Husband from Head to Toe, for a 30-day guided to Scripture Based Prayer. And if you’re a grandmother, you can use Praying for Your Child to pray for those precious grands.
