Speak, For Your Servant Hears
As a person of a certain age, my hearing has been declining. With a little prodding from my wife, I recently made an appointment with an audiologist. The doctor diagnosed me as having moderately severe to severe hearing loss. Specifically, I have a constant ringing (tinnitus) and the loss of sound perception at certain pitch levels.
With a diagnosis in hand, I now have a decision to make. Like so many things in life, knowledge without implementation is wasted. If I want to be able to hear better, I will need to purchase and use hearing aids. My doctor has recommended a style of hearing aid and given me two pamphlets from different companies with similar functions for my disability. Either one, she claims, will address my loss of hearing and the cost is similar. They are not cheap and are not covered by insurance, but in our budget, we have set some money aside for the unexpected. Which actually should be expected since kids need braces, cars need repaired, furnaces time out, etc. You know it’s going to happen, so budget wisely!
So which company to choose?
One pamphlet proclaims – “Want to hear your best in noisy situations? Now you can – even when life is loud.” Sounds great! I would love the ability to tune out the noise and tune in to what people are saying. Clarity without chaos! Yes please!!!
The other company pitches their product as one that “…refuses to accept hearing loss as a limitation. Not just hearing again, but hearing better than ever. Hearing every word, beat, and breath. With ACME, you can be Brilliant!” Who wouldn’t want to be (say it with your best English accent) Brilliant? To amplify the subtle and perceive what was previously inaudible will make my wife very happy!
With my circumstances, the topic of hearing has recently come up in my sermon preparation time as I fill the pulpit for my church. I was preaching on how we must learn to hear the voice of God and landed on 1 Samuel 3 as my text. As you know, Samuel was a servant to Eli whose eyesight was failing. One night he heard a voice calling out his name. Assuming the voice must be from his master Eli, like a good servant, Samuel rushed to Eli’s bed to see what he needed. This happened three times with Eli denying that he had called.
After the third interruption of his sleep, Eli discerned the voice Samuel was hearing was the Lord’s. Eli then instructed Samuel to keep his posture as a servant when the voice called his name and respond by saying – “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.” Samuel, as God’s prophet/judge, was instructed to be an attentive servant to hear every nuance so that he could carefully carry the message from God.
So, this Lenten season, instead of giving something up, I have accepted the Samuel posture challenge to live humbly before God and truly listen. Not just in my prayer life, but in every aspect of my life. Yes, I am a child of God, but I am also the Lord’s redeemed steward. All that I have is His. I am not here for my plans, but for His Kingdom to come. Therefore, as His ambassador I need to position myself to hear from God before moving, speaking, spending, responding, and deciding.