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Listen while you read: "Dear Lord And Father Of Mankind"1
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1 Samuel 3:7-10 – Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore, Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, 'Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." (NRSV)
Several years ago, I wrote a cheque to help fund a mission team going to Honduras. When they returned, the team leader, Joe, presented me with a small wooden cross from Honduras as a thank-you for the donation. I placed the cross on a shelf in our den, where, over the years, it was joined by other mementoes from various mission trips we had donated to in one fashion or another: a wooden bell from Haiti, a nativity scene from Guatemala. Each time I looked at the shelf, the hanging figure on the cross seemed to reproach me, as if to say that writing a cheque is not that the same as giving of yourself, of serving Christ with your own hands.
Two years ago, Joe announced that he was organizing his team to go Honduras in the coming year. The same voice that had chided me over the years, spoke again, saying, "David, it is time to do something more than writing a cheque; it is time to go." After much hesitation, I did, and will do again and again, for the actual mission trip turned out to be the easiest thing I have done.
Whether it is through a symbol, such as the cross, or the words and actions of another, or through the Holy Spirit speaking to us directly, the Lord calls each of us to step outside of our comfort zone, and to serve Him as He served us. The path of service is different for each of us. For some, it is the mountain-top experience of a mission trip to minister to the poor in far-off places; for others, it may be teaching people, young or old; or it may be something as simple as taking time to visit those who are alone and otherwise forgotten. Whatever our mission, the Lord knows, and calls us to it — not just once, but many times, until we answer.
Prayer: Gracious Lord, we thank You for Your persistent calls to service. Open our souls so that we may heed Your call and be your obedient servants. Amen.
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About the author:
David Gellatly <dlgellatly3@gmail.com>
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
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