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I would like this morning to turn to the story of our Old Testament lesson - that of Samuel sleeping in the temple and God calling out to him.

Samuel was not particularly old, and from the beginning of the text, it is clear that God was not particularly communicative at this time of history, with few visions or Word's from the Lord. When God called to Samuel, he heard the voice, but did not expect to hear God, and assumed it was Eli who was talking to him. Can you imagine the confusion that this caused to be awakened in the middle of the night, no wonder he did not immediately connect the voice with God. Never the less he did, and he instructed the young Samuel how to respond - Master speak your servant is listening.

Revisiting this story, caused me to contemplate on the role of the Voice of the Lord in our own Parish life. Would we describe it as a rare occurrence in our context. As I have said previously, I have a very high theology when it comes to the activity of God in the world. I believe that God routinely and regularly engages with the world and with his people (if you like that he is interventionist). In this way of thinking, it is my understanding that God will be always trying to communicate to us and with us. So if the voice of the Lord is rare in our context, then perhaps it is not God that has stopped speaking, but rather his people that have stopped listening. I believe that the story of Samuel can point us to a number of facts about God/human communication and making it happen.

First there must be expectation. The Young Samuel did not recognise God speaking, because he had no expectation that it would take place. God want to communicate with him, but could not reach him, because he could not get his attention. How often are we going through life not looking for God to talk to us. For the most part, God has a major obstacle, that he must first get our attention. Sometimes, God will allow certain things to happen so that he might get the attention of the individual, although I do not believe that every bad thing can be said to be this. It is never more true than to say the quickest way to fill the church is to have a tragedy. Look at the response to something like Port Arthur. In individuals lives, often the turning point (with respect to God), is when there is little alternative. Sadly, God is heard more often in Sorrow than in Joy. In my own life, the points of coming closer to God have been in the tensions and stress of personal distress rather than in normal everyday life, and I expect that the same is the case for you. I am a slow learner in these things, and God has sometimes had to go to great lengths to get my attention. How much easier my life would be if I had lived in the expectation of hearing from God.

Second, it is not just enough to hear the voice of God, but a Response is called for. Samuel had to respond to the voice of God, before God could progress. He had to have a willingness to listen as well as to hear. In as much as we recognise the voice of God we must also (like Samuel) say "Master speak, your servant is listening". This is more than a request for more information, but contains in it an understanding of the relationship between God and humanity that of Master/Servant. One of the good things about modern theology, is that it emphasises the closeness of God to us - God is not up there (remote and far away) but rather walks beside us as a friend. The tragedy, is that God can be seen as just another friend, and in essence we can forget that he is God. No matter how friendly God is, he is still God. Do we see ourselves as God's servants? Are we waiting for his command? or do we see ourselves as negotiators in some bargaining situation? Never will this be more reflected than in our prayer life. Are our prayers about asking, or about listening? It is not only that we respond to God that is important, but that we respond as willing servants.

Third, there is a lesson to be learnt from Eli. His age and experience meant that he understood that God was speaking. God had spoken to him in the past. He could have responded with jealousy, because God had chosen someone else, but rather, he took responsibility for the young Samuel and showed him that God was speaking and how to respond.

Are we who are mature open for God to use the less worthy. In the culture of this story, Samuel was a child and so did not count. God often shames us, not with the wise solid Christians speaking, but with the challenge of the less spiritual. There is a call for us to Teach others to listen. We are not to be the exclusive channels of God's grace but rather to point others to it.

On a retreat a couple of years ago, I was able to read Eugene Peterson’s book - The Contemplative Pastor. In this book, he maintains that the main function of the pastor is to teach the flock to pray. If the pastor fails to do this, then all else is of little consequence. This got me thinking, an I realise that I had had little to do with the prayer life of others. Sure I had prayed for them, but I had not spent time teaching them to pray. As we grow in experience, we need like Eli to see those in our care also grow in experience.

As a parish then, as well as individuals, you and I are called to be expecting God's voice, to respond to God's voice and to teach others in our care to respond as well. But the starting point will be to make space and say God. Master speak, your servant is listening.

AMEN.