Listen for an Answer
Copyright ©2020 by The Good Elder. All rights reserved.
This message was inspired by real life events. Every now and then, something happens that lets you know that life is about more than the everyday humdrum routine... that is, if you're paying attention.
A few months ago, my wife and I were checking out of our hotel and returning home after a brief, busy, but very enjoyable vacation. Due to the travel logistics, we had to check out at 2:45 a.m. As I approached the counter, the desk agent called my name (Samuel). I responded. He called my name again, and I responded again. He called my name a third time, and I responded and also gave my last name, assuming that he was confirming that he had the correct record pulled up.
To my surprise, the desk agent said, "The correct answer was, 'Speak, LORD, for Thy servant heareth!'" He chucked in jest, and I likewise chucked, acknowledging his attempt at humor. Yet, I knew that, while it was fun and games for him, it was a sign for me.
In a fraction of a second, so many thoughts flooded my mind. How would this guy be on duty at this time of morning? How likely would it have been for a guest named Samuel to be served by him? How many desk agents know the Bible well enough to quote that scripture? And, with it being the early morning, how likely would any of this have been at such a sublime time for prayer and meditation?
To say that the LORD had gotten my attention me would be a gross understatement! And, while I contemplated on the meaning of this encounter, I began to think about my life, my stewardship, and how faithful (or not) I have been to the teachings that I was raised with.
Quite frankly, when we see the world in the condition that it is in today, when things in our personal lives aren't going as we'd like them to go, when there seems to be no hope or no end in sight to the trouble we see, we may wonder if God hears our prayers, and we may even pose the question with trembling, "WHERE is the LORD?" But, regardless of what's going on, it is our challenge and our duty to continue to pray, meditate, seek the LORD and then listen for an answer!
We are familiar with the story of Samuel's ascent to his prophetic mission. We can imagine a young fellow being trained in the tabernacle service, walking around in ornate robes, carrying this and that, to and fro. We can imagine a young fellow being taught the various chants and prayers, being taught customs and traditions, and even being taught esoteric knowledge reserved for those in tabernacle service.
We can imagine a young fellow feeling enthusiastic about doing the services efficiently to the delight of Eli the High Priest, and even to the delight of his mother, Hannah, who visited him once per year. We can imagine the people heaping praise and admiration on the young fellow who served with enthusiasm and who persevered in the old, righteous ways, even as others brought shame to themselves, their family, and even to the priesthood itself.
For all that this young fellow Samuel was doing right, for all the promise he held and the potential that lay ahead for him, 1st Samuel 3:7 tells us, "Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the Word of the LORD yet revealed unto him." This is a terribly humbling thought that gives us pause, especially for those of us who are staunchly religious and have been truly seeking the LORD for the better part of our lives. But, the silver lining in this lesson in humility is this: that the LORD called to Samuel at all!
Many of us have been dutiful in our observance of the various services, customs, traditions, and rituals when it comes to our religious organization, and with the teachings of Prophet William S. Crowdy. In fact, many millions of people, all over the world, have faithfully maintained the traditions of their various religions, paid their money, helped with various programs and outreach activities, etc. These staunch practitioners have felt a certain obligation to fulfill these activities in order to serve God and their fellowman, and have often discovered that doing good and performing religious practices provides a certain degree of comfort, peace, and yes, joy.
At other times, however, our service seems ineffective, and God seems to be unresponsive. We see certain atrocities or injustices stubbornly persist in our society, or even get worse, in spite of our prayers, in spite of our outreach or advocacy efforts. When such situations persist, we may come to feel as if our observance of various rituals, customs, and traditions has become ineffective. We may wonder what's going on, or why nothing is getting better.
Sadly, some are oblivious to the fact that religious practice and ritual observance is designed to cause a positive change in the world, even if that change is only in the practitioner him/herself. These ones are content to continue their practice by rote, feeling fulfillment in the practice, regardless of its effectiveness (or lack thereof).
Some may become discouraged, perhaps feeling that something is wrong with them, or that God is not listening to them. Without further examination or contemplation, these ones give up, likening the effectiveness of their practice to something akin to a battery that's run down. These ones embody the sentiment, "Since this is no longer working, let me stop, throw it out and find something else to do, maybe." These are the ones that jump from church to church, looking for a "high" that was "lost" at the other church.
Alternatively, some may give up religion altogether, perhaps feeling disillusioned that there was a "shelf life" to the effectiveness of their practice, perhaps even feeling resentment for wasting years of their life on a practice that, from their perspective, was never going to always work (e.g. my loved one still died, I'm still broke, oppression/racism/poverty still persists, I still haven't found love, etc.).
And then, there are those who follow the example Habakkuk (chapter 1):
[2] O LORD, how long shall I cry, and Thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto Thee of violence, and Thou wilt not save!
[3] Why dost Thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? For spoiling and violence are before me: and there are [those] that raise up strife and contention.
Habbakuk said (chapter 2):
[1] I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what He will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
In other words, Habakkuk knew within that his spiritual practices still had power and effectiveness, regardless of what the external picture showed. So, instead of becoming discouraged, or giving up, he went to God directly for answers (i.e. "What's going on?") And, he listened for an answer!! And God answered him!
One of Jesus' most profound preachments is found in Matthew 18:3, "Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." His use of children as an analogy is not meant to say that only young people will be saved. Rather, Jesus was drawing upon certain characteristics of children, especially as it relates to the ego.
With children, there are fewer (if any) expectations or pre-conceived notions about a concept (e.g. like God or heaven), and thus, less resistance. Children tend to be more willing to do what they are told, and are able to give consistent, faithful service without expectation of reward other than the pleasure of their parent. Children also tend to have an openness to receive. Thus, as we saw with Samuel, a conduit between Creator and creature was created and activated. We all have the potential to open up such a conduit, so that it can be activated by God, if we only would, and if He so desires.
Sure, we can settle for the rituals, the customs, the traditions, the symbology and theology; but will that satisfy the soul? Does your soul seek to know God? Are you willing and able to maintain faith in God, even as the world seemingly comes unglued, even while you're waiting for your own personal deliverance, and even as you yourself may feel discouraged in the efficacy of your worship, prayer, and other spiritual efforts?
I'm here to remind you of the words to that song, "Just keep on working for the Master, keep on working for the LORD. He will surely bless you. He will give you a sweet reward..."
Keep worshipping, keep praying, keep meditating, but always remember to listen for an answer! Just remember that it may not come when you expect or how you expect; nor might it reveal anything you want to hear or receive. But, if you get anything at all, understand that what's even more important than the message is the knowledge that you have established a connection by which that message came! Through this connection, He walks with me and talks with me...
So keep up the journey. Keep digging up trenches and laying cables as you go. And, once God activates the connection, you'll look back on all the hardship, on all the financial struggles, on all the heartbreaks, on all the tears, on all the angst and uncertainty, and you'll say with authority, "I wouldn't take nothing for my journey!" ...because it was along the journey that you established the conduit for connection with God, a connection that you tested every day by not only praying and meditating, but also by listening for an answer!
If you found this post to be uplifting, inspiring, or instructive, feel free to share the link to this post or the link to my blog. You can contact me at [email protected].