Sunday, January 30, 2011 - Are You Talking to Me?

     I was sitting at the airport years ago studying some notes and waiting for my plane the first time it happened to me. The person sitting two seats down interrupted my thoughts by suddenly and rather loudly asking, "Hey, how's it going?" I looked up and said "Fine, how about you?" He hesitated, looking off into some vague part of the terminal, leaving several seconds of awkward silence. I looked around to see if he could have been speaking to anyone else but no one else was near enough to hear him. I almost made it home without the plane when he suddenly burst out laughing and said, "Oh, I'm just a little tired. No, I'm at the airport." With my heart racing from his bizarre outburst I thought, "Lovely, I'm getting on a plane with a wacko."  He had yet to make eye contact so I asked in a mildly irritated voice, "Are you talking to me?" He turned to look at me for the first time, continuing to talk and that's when I saw the blue thing wrapped around his ear.

     One of the first Bible stories I remember learning in Sunday School was about the boy Samuel hearing an unknown Voice break the night's silence by calling his name. My vivid imagination and fear of the dark stopped me from hearing anything past the point when Eli told Samuel how to answer the next time the LORD called his name: "Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening." (1 Sam. 3:8-9)  Sometimes I would lie in bed looking at my ceiling after everyone was asleep and practice being brave like Samuel: "Speak LORD, I'm listening," then I would throw the covers over my head and beg, "No, don't!" I wanted to hear from God but was terrified He might boom out my name and THEN what would I do? In my own way, I had enough faith to believe God could and would speak to me, I just wasn't completely sold on how He might do it.
      I didn't need to worry: the LORD has a gazillion creative ways to whisper my name. All communication breakdowns have been my fault because I didn't respond in childlike faith with a "Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening." Instead, I pretended to be asleep, or drowned out the LORD's gentle Voice with other voices, including mine. I put Him off until later or responded to His call by doing all the talking and never asking or allowing Him to speak again. I've heard Him whispering my name and have been guilty of asking in an irritated voice, "Are You Talking to Me? - Shouldn't You be telling this to so-and-so?" instead of saying with awe, "Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening."  My sweet Lord has always spoken in the most appropriate and tender ways, but sometimes I've left Him talking to Himself because I didn't want to hear what He had to say.
Lord God, what a privilege and honor to have the King of kings and Lord of lords call our names. What other God cares so deeply for those who worship Him? Who else speaks to His  disciples as friends? Forgive us when we ignore You. Have mercy on us for taking Your Voice lightly or for granted. Speak to us, LORD, for Your servants are listening. Change our hearts and lead us to find great delight in Your commands and may we be awed by Your Presence. Give us courageous hearts to hear Your Voice and to speak Your Truth to others. 

In the Name of Jesus Who opened the lines of communication between God's heart and ours.   

"Praise the LORD, 

Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in His commands . . . 

       He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD." 

Psalm 112: 1, 7

Inspired by My Utmost for His Highest and Jesus Calling