IN THE BEGINNING…THE WORD

Daily Devotional for Today, June 27, 2011

 Ears to Hear

“He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” states Matthew 11:15.  This is an interesting verse of scripture because it would seem apparent that a person, who has ears, would naturally hear.   I am fascinated with the prophet Samuel, a man who exemplifies the hearing ear.   When Samuel was called by God he heard the voice of God-- and was quickened.  I Samuel 3:4 tells us “The Lord called Samuel:  and he answered, Here am I”   As soon as he was called, he heard---he responded.  Samuel’s ear was open and he had a hearing ear.  Samuel wasn’t even aware that it was God calling him, the maker of heaven and earth calling him. He was simply being his obedient self, responding to and hearing the voice of his guardian and teacher:

1Sa 3:5  And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.

As the story unfolds, Eli “perceived that the LORD had called the child.”

 1Sa 3:9  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. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

 1Sa 3:10  And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

1Sa 3:11  And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.

God honored Samuel-- making him a true man of God.  It was said of Samuel that “he is an honorable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass.”  But the one verse where it is evident that God honors the ear of Samuel is in the ninth chapter of I Samuel:

 1Sa 9:15  Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear…”

God was comforted by the ear of Samuel.  He knew that in Samuel he had found a beloved one, one who would listen, one who would hear.

Today, let us be like Samuel.  Let us have ears that hear!