Last week we heard a moving sermon from Rev Thomas on the Baptism of Christ. When ever I baptize someone, I get emotional when I say, You are marked as Christ’s own forever, as I make the sign of the cross using chrisom oil to anoint this newly beloved .. who has heard God’s voice…and answered by saying, Here I am, God. Use me. Or whose infant child’s parents have answered… here we are.
This season of Epiphany is book ended by this event of Jesus’ baptism and the upcoming Transfiguration celebrated on the last Sunday of Epiphany in February… the Sunday before we begin Lent. And it is in this in-between that we are given opportunity to have revelations or epiphanies on who God is and who we are in God. We began last week with the heavens opening and hearing God’s voice… You are my son, the Beloved; With you I am well pleased… and we will end this season with the same: with the heavens opening and God’s voice saying…..This is my son, the Beloved. Listen to him. And as the Rev. Thomas said, we are his beloved too. And we too are called.
And like Rev. Thomas, I am an English major, and so just as he does, I love to pay attention to the imagery in the words of the prophets … in this case John. I hope that next week you will go back and re-read today’s lessons…. And pay particular attention to the next few Sunday’s readings… on the constant imagery of light… and hearing…. and seeing…..and blindness… and darkness and misunderstanding. And ponder… we love pondering…. Ponder and open our hearts and our ears and our eyes and think about…. in what ways the voice of the Lord is speaking to us? Where do we get our direction and calling? And how are we living out the kingdom today?
In our reading this morning from Samuel, the pattern of light and dark… hearing and listening is so apparent. I know the imagery is pretty obvious but the way it comes together is brilliant! The opening words say it all: The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.
Here is the story of Samuel with a reference to the back story of his wayward sons. Samuel was one of the last Judges of Israel and had dedicated his life to God. But he failed in that he chose NOT to ACT when he knew that his sons were acting sinfully. His sons made no attempt to cover up their lifestyle or to even try to create the appearance of godliness. They did whatever they wanted even though they had been taught and were expected to do better. The only man who was in a position to stop them was their father. But he did not.
Eli knew God well. But his sight and hearing had dimmed…. Thankfully the lamp of God for Eli had not totally gone out, and he was able to discern that the voice that Samuel kept hearing was that of God. And he was able to teach Samuel how to listen.
Three times God calls out to Samuel. But Samuel does not yet know of God. Maybe that is because Eli had not done his job in teaching Samuel… we are not told. But we do know that Samuel hears God call out, and yet because he does not know God, he keeps turning to his earthly benefactor Eli instead.
Thankfully, Eli understands that his time as a Godly leader is being passed on to Samuel. And, to give Eli credit, he allows this transition of leadership to happen smoothly. You see, God is not quite done with Eli. Even though he did not act, God is still able to use him to direct young Samuel to the path God wants for him: this transition from the old leadership to the new, for Eli knows and trusts that God is planning on doing new things with the kingdom.
And so Eli instructs Samuel… The next time you hear a voice calling you, answer: Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. Up to this point, Samuel has been loyal to Eli, but now he has to shift his devotion from Eli to God. This must have been really difficult for young Samuel to hear the judgement God makes on his mentor. But Eli has taught Samuel how to open his heart to hear God’s voice and he does and he trusts what he hears: Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.
It is important to note here that Samuel’s willingness to hear God came before his obedience to God. It is one thing to listen and hear and understand, but it is another to be obedient.
And so young Samuel hears and acts.
He hears God’s judgement on Eli and his family. And is brave enough and honest enough to tell Eli what he has heard. And Eli accepts God’s edict because he knew that God was doing good things in Israel and that he had failed to follow God’s plan.
I am always amazed at how timely scripture is. We are always in the whirl wind of change, and yet nothing really changes. Leaders get off course when they listen only to their own ideas and wants and needs. When they can’t tell the difference between God’s voice calling and their ego’s whispering. And then God shifts the power in another direction… and waits and watches to see if this time, the new will listen and hear and see.
This struggle happens to the best of us. I cannot tell you how many folks discerning a call from God tell me that they heard, but were not sure. And then heard again, but were too busy to listen. Too busy to act. I am one of those. I was on a path to leadership in the Technical Education system. I am not sure where I was going, but I had a need to rise above. I ignored the whispers and pebbles and had to have an avalanche to finally listen. I think I was having a hard time discerning God’s voice and my own needs. What does God’s voice sound like? What does his hand directing me look like?
Even the best of us get off course… get lost in the darkness. Maybe our eyesight has begun to grow dim and our hearing has become deafened by the noise surrounding us. Where does the truth lie in our daily lives?
Joseph Sittler, a Lutheran seminary professor, wrote in his book Essays on Gravity and Grace, how easy it is to loose our way. He wrote that he would always ask his students what kind of church God was calling them to serve. One young woman told Rev Sittler that she wanted to serve in a rural church… that had a certain kind of people with certain ideas. And he wrote that he responded to her with these words: It sounds as if you are saying, “Listen Lord, for your servant is speaking”… instead of “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.”
I can only say this this morning, because I have been guilty of the same thing: telling God what I want instead of listening to His plan for me.
Because he does have a plan. He has a plan in this transition of power in our government. In the transition from pre-CoVid times to post CoVid times. In the transition of divorce. in employment. In age. In sorrow. And even in death.
The same imagery of seeing and hearing continues in our gospel reading from John as others respond to Jesus’ call to follow me. And like Samuel and Eli, their willingness to hear God came before their obedience TO God.
Like Eli, I think that sometimes our hearing and sight has been weakened due to stress, or exhaustion or just an overload of life. We may tire of trying to constantly hold a true plumb line of faith and hope.
But that is ok. Because God is always here. God is still speaking. And we will respond, Here I am, Lord. Speak for your servant is listening. Amen.
Source: Lectionary Lab Podcast:
Two Bubbas and a Bible with John Fairless and Delmer Chilton
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