Is there anybody listening?

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“Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines at night; we will rout them until the break of day. We won’t leave any of them alive!” They replied, “Do whatever seems best to you.” But the priest said, “Let’s approach God here.” So Saul asked God, “Should I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But he did not answer him that day.”
1 Samuel 14:36-37 New English Translation

This is a piece of a difficult story and I’m going to cheat by not addressing the most difficult part. Instead, I am struck with the fact that God did not answer Saul and this fact caused distress for him. Saul is the recently anointed new king of Israel, he seeks God and expects an answer. When he does not get one, he starts to look for the reason why.

Was there some sin in himself that prevented him hearing God? Was there some sin in the people? What is the cause of this horrible turn of events? Saul will do whatever it takes to discover the reason.

Often I am so complacent. I pray but I don’t really expect to hear God speak. I am often surprised by His voice. Far from the expectation Saul seemed to have, I do not look for the reason why. I shrug it off. I go on with my day. I prove time and again that God’s speaking to me and my hearing from Him are rare occurrences. Too rare to be an expectation.

Lord, forgive me for my complacency. I have too quickly given up on You. I have assumed that either I am too deaf to hear or You are too busy to speak. I have considered Your voice as mundane, not important enough to comb the earth for the reason why I can’t hear You sometimes. Speak Lord, I am listening.

Copyright photo Doug Brauner Text by David Brukiewa