As we study the command to Hear God’s Voice, we have to ask the question: what are we listening to? Whatever we focus on, we end up giving our ear to listen to. If we spend the majority of our time listening to the media, philosophy and counsel of the world, we are in danger of becoming more in tune with the noise of the world than hearing the voice of God.

Yet the opposite is true. The more time we take to spend with God filling our mind with His Word, the greater ability we will have to hear His voice. Sometimes we can feel like God is not speaking to us. But often this assumption is not true. The fact is that He is speaking but we are not choosing to listen. In other words, we have ears to hear but we are not hearing.

he reason for this could be that our hearts are not as tuned in as they should be due to neglecting time in God’s Word. Work, family time, friends, social media, hobbies etc. can have our lives so full of busyness. If we are not careful, these things can keep us from hearing from God. May the Lord give us the grace to take time each day to turn aside from the busyness of life in order to cultivate an ear to hear and a heart that is in tune with His.

Q: Why did God call Samuel three times before giving him a message, and why did God use a voice that sounded to Samuel like the voice of Eli? (See I Samuel 3:1–18.)

A: “The LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again … .

“And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.

“And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.

“Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. … And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth” (I Samuel 3:4–10).

Before children know the Lord, God often speaks to them through the instruction of their parents. (See Proverbs 1:8, 4:1, and 6:20.) God uses their human authorities to prepare them to hear and obey His voice when they are older. It was God who spoke to Samuel, but it was Eli who perceived it was God speaking. Samuel’s obedient response to Eli prepared him to respond obediently to God.

The first time God called to Samuel, God could have said “Samuel, this is God talking to you” and given him the message. However, it was necessary first for Eli to recognize Who was speaking to Samuel before receiving the message of God’s impending judgment. It is not unusual for God to use children to communicate things that their parents need to hear. It is then the parents’ challenge to recognize and respond to the voice of God. (See Matthew 21:15–16.)