While I go journeying through the gospel of John, my family have been embarking on a trek through 1 Samuel.
This is an important book of the Bible for me. About 20 years ago, as a member of a church youth group, this was a book we were studying and memorising for a national quiz (in the church of course, not the entire country). We subsequently won that quiz and what helped in memorising it was a genuine fascination for the stories.
Later on my wife shared a great affinity with the story of Hannah found in the first chapter of this book. She has a great idea for a play based on this issue. I look forward to her developing this to production.
Our daughters are now studying this book to help with a children’s presentation. So the circle is complete!
Samuel’s episode of his first encounter with God still fascinates me. The fact that Sam thought Eli was calling him, and it taking three times for the old priest to get with the fact that God could be talking to Sam.
What I take much courage from in this episode is how we can be in religious settings all our lives, but not necessarily recognise when God talks to us. Indeed, one of the crucial elements of growing in knowing Jesus is knowing how He speaks to us.
Some say that we need to read the Bible – indeed that is helpful – but even here there are issues. How do you read the Bible? How do you understand what’s going on? How does one part connect with another? Why should I accept one reading of the scripture as true and another as false? How do I know what God is saying?
Much is assumed or more accurately neglected when it comes to knowing how to read the scripture. So as well as the issue of literacy – confidence in reading, there is the additional issue of spiritual literacy – confidence in knowing what God says in what you read.
Here, however, is where the beauty of prayer as conversation comes into its own. In prayer, we like Samuel, in childlike faith open ourselves to God. In that same childlike faith we look to ask God to speak committing ourselves to hear him attentively and then follow what He says.
(Photo by Alireza Attari on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
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