All Age Ideas
One of today's Bible readings tells the story of Eli and Samuel. When he was still a small boy Samuel came to live at the Temple where people came to worship God, with Eli, the elderly priest who was in charge of the Temple. One night, after Samuel had gone to bed, he heard a voice calling his name. He thought it was Eli, so he got up and went to him to ask him what he wanted. Eli was puzzled. He hadn't called Samuel, so he told him to go back to bed. Once again, Samuel heard the voice calling, and went to Eli. I expect Eli was probably getting a bit irritated - how would your mum or dad feel if you keep getting up? But he just told Samuel to go back to bed again. For a third time Samuel heard the voice and went to Eli. This time Eli realised what was happening. He told Samuel that it was God calling to him - it had been a long time since Eli or anyone else had heard God's voice - and said that if he heard the voice again he should say "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." Samuel went back to bed, and, sure enough, God called to him again. Samuel answered as Eli had told him, and God gave him the message he wanted him to hear.
Later on Samuel became an important prophet, who sometimes challenged the kings of his country when they did things that were wrong. People - even important people - listened to him, because they knew he listened to God. - How do you decide whether something is right or wrong? Who do you listen to?
- Spend some time being very quiet today. What can you hear? If you listen outside, can you hear any birds, or the sound of the wind? What is your favourite sound?
- Listening isn't just about physically hearing things. People who are deaf 'listen' by watching, perhaps lip reading or watching sign language, and people with good hearing sometimes don't really listen at all. If we are going to 'hear' what we need to, we have to pay attention! Are there times when you don't pay attention to what you are being told? I wonder why that is?
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