Speak O Lord

The why is just as important as the what. Years ago when I was in grade school I was on the basketball team. And we did these runs where we would run out to the free-throw line and then the half court line, then the free throw line on the other side. And finally, we’d run all the way down, touch the line and run back. We were told to do it, and so we did it. But what was missing was why. And it showed. There were a number of kids who stopped running not as much because they were out of breath as the fact that they didn’t see the point. You could run laps around the outside and get in better shape. That is a danger we face as Christians. We can end up doing the what without remembering the why. For example, if a child asks the question, “why do I need to go to catechism class,” it’s easy to say, “because that’s what we do.” We haven’t answered the why question. This morning we have the answer to a why question. We emphasize how important it is to read, learn and hear God’s word constantly and continually in our lives. But these words answer the question, why. In 1 Samuel 3, we read: “1 The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. 2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. 6 Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8 A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”” (1 Samuel 3:1–8 NIV11-GKE)

If we ask the question, why do we read, study and savor God’s word, here in these words we begin to find an answer. Look here at the patience Samuel shows. He’s like the human hockey puck. We know that the Lord is the one who is speaking to him. But Samuel doesn’t know this. So we see this repetition, again and again, three times. And what you will notice is how the Lord could have stepped in at any time and cleared the matter up. But he didn’t. He let’s Samuel be the human hockey puck. And it’s good for us to look at Samuel, because the Lord does the same to us, doesn’t