THEME: Rooted in Christ :: Listening to God
by Pastor Shaun
10 And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” 1 Samuel 3:10 ESV
DEVOTION:
Being Rooted in Christ means that we hold God’s Word “sacred and gladly hear and learn it.” (Luther’s Small Catechism, Explanation of the 3rd Commandment).
Isn’t it amazing that God’s Word is readily available to us? In our blessed lives, God is constantly speaking to us through His Holy Word! We have Bibles in our classrooms and homes – even on our phones. Chapels are held daily and worship services are every Sunday. The opportunities to hear God’s Word are truly endless.
And yet despite the constant availability of God’s Word, many people neglect to hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it. We have lots of excuses, but most of them boil down to being “too busy.” In fact, all that means is that we have not given priority to listening to God and learning His Word.
But isn’t it clear that NOTHING should take priority over listening to the one who made us and all things? God is our dear Father. He is our ORIGIN who gives us our IDENTITY and PURPOSE. His Word is life and salvation. What could be more important than listening to Him? Nothing!
Of course our lives are busy and our schedules are full. Plus we live in a noisy world, full of amusements and distractions. The devil loves all this. It crowds out God and His Word. It prevents us from hearing and learning from our Maker.
But what if you said “NO” to all this? What if you reset your priorities and began with God’s Word? What if you started each day saying what Samuel did: “Speak, for your servant hears.” It doesn’t mean life will suddenly become easy, but it does mean that you and your family will be open to hearing from the one who is powerful over all things. Like Jonah, you may not always appreciate what God says. You may even fight against it. As with Jonah, God will patiently bring you back to Himself, forgiving your sins and calling you to follow Him.
And as you gladly hear and learn God’s Word, you will grow and thrive with the new life of Christ. As our Lord says in The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10 ESV). Yes the devil, the world and our sinful flesh are constantly seeking to steal away God’s Word of life. But still our Lord speaks…and His Word gives us life that lasts forever. So listen to Him!
-Pastor Shaun
CATECHISM MEMORY:
The Fourth Commandment: Honor your father and your mother.
What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not despise or anger our parents and other authorities, but honor them, serve and obey them, love and cherish them.
READINGS for THIS WEEK:
Mon: Jonah 1 Tue: Jonah 2 Wed: Jonah 3 Thu: Jonah 4 Fri: 1 Samuel 3 Sat: Romans 14
Sunday, September 6: (Ezekiel 33:7-9| Romans 14 | Matthew 18:1-20)
REFLECTION QUESTIONS & ACTIVITIES for the READINGS
- What does each reading teach you about God’s Word and its intended effects on our lives?
- What does each reading teach you about how you should receive and respond to God’s Word?
- How do busyness and distractions take you away from hearing God’s Word? When can you set aside time each day to hear and learn God’s Word? Plan to a time each day to read God’s Word and lead your family in devotions.
- Sketch or paint a picture of Samuel or Jonah listening to God, or another image that reflects the imagery of
this week’s readings. (Share your image with Pastor Shaun) - What questions do you have about the readings this week?
(Write them down and share them with Pastor Shaun!)