Teaching Others to Recognizing the Voice of God

"Then he ran to Eli and said, 'Here I am, for you called me.' But he said, 'I did not call, lie down again.' So he went and lay down. The Lord called yet again, 'Samuel!' So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, 'Here I am, for you called me.' But he answered, 'I did not call, my son, lie down again.' Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor had the word of the Lord yet been revealed to him. So the Lord called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, 'Here I am, for you called me.' Then Eli discerned that the Lord was calling the boy. And Eli said to Samuel, 'Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, "Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening."' So Samuel went and lay down in his place.Then the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, Samuel! Samuel!' And Samuel said, 'Speak, for Your servant is listening.'" -1 Samuel 3.5-10

God has spoken, but Samuel has never heard the voice of God. He assumes Eli has summoned Him and so he goes to see what he needs. But it wasn't Eli and so he goes to lie down again. A second time his name is called, and a second time he goes to Eli, only to be sent away again. A third time it happens, and this time Eli realizing that God is trying to speak to Samuel. He instructs him as to what to do, and then sends him back to wait for God.

I work with a guy who is an agnostic. His attitude towards God is, "You leave me alone, I leave you alone." He even told me a few months ago, "If God does exist, he doesn't want anything to do with me." To that I responded, "He does, but maybe you just aren't listening." That sort of grabbed his attention, but that was as far was it went. I truly believe God is trying to speak to him, he just doesn't know the voice of God, and there are so many distractions that he isn't able to hear it.

Samuel was a boy, he didn't know God yet, and he had never heard Him speak. When he hears his name being called, he naturally assumes Eli needs him for something. Three times it happens, and three times Eli tells the boy that he has not summoned him. But the third time Eli begins to realize what is happening. The old priest understands that God is wanting to communicate with Samuel, and so he instructs him on what to do the next time.

Men, do you know the voice of God? Do you hear it, and recognize it, amid all of the distractions? If not, how could you teach others to recognize it? How can you instruct your children, and guide them into a deeper, more personal and intimate relationship with God, if you yourself don't have such a relationship? If you want your children to know God, you must know God. If you want them to know the voice of God, you must know the voice of God.

That is not to say that children can only find God if their parents lead them to Him. But parents were intended to lead their children in the worship of God, and to set their feet on the paths of righteousness. Without this, the road leading to God is much more difficult to find.

Let us be men who know the voice of God because we speak with Him regularly. Let us teach our children, both biological and spiritual, to recognize His voice.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor