By Chris WittsSaturday 10 Dec 2022Morning Devotions with Chris WittsFaithReading Time: 1 minute
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Transcript:
It was Kathleen Norris, an author who actually returned to her faith in God after some years of doubting God and being away from him. She had the faith of a child, and she remembers that prayer is not doing, she said. But being it’s not words so much. But beyond words is the experience of coming to the presence of someone that is much greater than oneself.
And she mentioned three words there that she felt the words “Holy, holy holy!” were ones that she wanted to think about. And it reminded us of the words from the scripture. How the Lord came and called out to Samuel, and Samuel said, “Well, speak Lord, for your servant is listening”.
Well, interesting person, Samuel. He was only a child is probably around about 12 when he became the assistant to the aged priest Eli, and things weren’t so good at that time. And Samuel grew up amongst some sexual immorality and other problems, and yet he was able to say, speak, “Lord, I’m listening for your servant is listening”. His mother, of course, prayed for him. She did a lot for him she had given him to God and God would overrule any evil. And so, she would pray that all these things would happen even before he was born.
Now, maybe as parents, you might have dedicated your own Children, perhaps in a church. And God, of course, will honour that dedication. Perhaps you feel a sense of despair today, knowing that your child is not a Christian, not believing in God. And the scripture says this wonderful promise in Proverbs 22:6: “Train a child in the way he should go. And when he is old, he will not turn from it”.
So, the child might wander, as many do, but he will return.
So, God used the council of an old man, Eli, to help Samuel understand that God was speaking to him. Isn’t it amazing how God speaks to us even amongst surroundings that are not good? And let me say today, you know that God can make his voice heard, regardless of the circumstances. And we know that God can accomplish his will, even though people who are not really living a good life of obedience to him.
God would send severe judgement on Eli as we read in one Samuel 3, and God would judge his family because of a sin. So, you can imagine the difficult words on the lips of a young boy who must have cared for the old man Eli. But Samuel was quickly. Three times he got up in the night and he thought that Eli was calling out to him when in fact, it was God calling him.
So perhaps we think it’s the kind of prayer only a child could make. You know I’m listening, Lord. A child doesn’t always know the implications of a prayer, but God did not call us to be careful. God call us to be obedient. We give our hearts to him, and God will lead us in some amazing ways.
So, we know that’s what happens if we have a child-like faith. God will honour that. And what did Jesus say? He said “unless you are converted and become as little Children”, he said, “you will by no means enter the kingdom of Heaven”. There’s something really special and wonderful about the simplicity of a child who has faith in God. So, let’s not be afraid. Whatever our age to give ourselves to God.
And if we pray, God will hear us and God will honour that. And some years later, the Prophet Isaiah would pray a similar prayer when he recognised how holy he saw God, who was high and lifted up. And he heard the angels crying, “Holy, holy holy”, became aware of how sinful, how small he was, but an amazing way we can see how God cleansed him and gave him a message: “Now, as I was not a child, he was a man grown man”.
But his childlike faith enabled him to say, as we read in Isaiah 6:8, “Here I am, Lord, send me”.
Now that’s a wonderful response. And I wonder how we will respond if God calls us to do a particular work for him.
Well, Lord, we acknowledge that sometimes there are things that we are frightened of. We imagine law that our problems are far greater than they really are. We pray for grace to cope. Lord, we pray that people will help us. And Lord, we find that life is much easier when we are encouraged. So, Lord, may we be like people of the of the Old Testament. May we be people who are prepared like Samuel and also Isaiah to be responsive to you. And I offer this prayer in Jesus’ name, Amen.