“Obedience” Part 4 – “Listening to our Leaders”
Read 1 Samuel 3:1-9
So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if He calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’”So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
1 Samuel 3:9
We’ve all been there before. We were given some instructions on what to do, but we had some reservations about following through. We may have been directed to perform a specific driving maneuver, bring out a distinct flavour in cooking, or clean something to make it look brand new. Little did we know, sometimes it is the critical instruction we receive that makes all the difference, and helps us realize our potential.
In chapter 3 of the book of 1 Samuel, Samuel has his first encounter with the Lord as a young boy. Until that night, the Word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to Samuel. At that time, the persistent calling of God led Samuel to seek out Eli, as he mistakenly thought it was Eli he needed to answer. However, after Eli’s instruction, Samuel was repositioned to respond correctly the next time he was called. From there, we see the inception of Samuel’s prophetic ministry.
This passage can teach us about obedience with respect to leadership. The Bible tells us that Samuel was “under” Eli (1 Samuel 3:1). As a Jewish priest, Eli was in a designated position as an authority figure over Samuel. Eli was tasked with providing oversight as it concerned the affairs of the tabernacle and temple worship. Evidently, it was Eli’s leadership that served as a stepping stone for Samuel to navigate this new and rare experience when the Lord pursued him. Because Eli exercised his leadership appropriately, he gave Samuel the direction he needed to respond to the Lord. Consequently, Samuel was enabled to effectively minister the Word (1 Samuel 3:19). Through Samuel’s initial act of obedience to Eli, his prophetic ministry was furthered, and Samuel lived to fulfill the call of God over his life.
Moreover, for us to be obedient, we need to be in a place where we can both HEAR and LISTEN. Samuel had the hearing part down- he knew someone was calling him. Yet, he couldn’t listen to what God had to say until he had formulated the necessary response. When we are obedient to God, we will be alert and render ourselves submissive to carry out whatever instructions are given to us. When we are obedient, we will acknowledge that there are people God has divinely placed in positions over us to reach us in our various domains of life. The pastors, parents, the senior management and more can all be used as His conduits. Therefore, whether God chooses to give us those instructions Himself, or through our leaders, it is our job to obey wholeheartedly. For this reason, when we are obedient, we will reposition ourselves accordingly in order to further the ministry with which God has tasked us. Though doubts and hesitations may arise, they will never be able to get in the way of the greater call. Obedience shows us that we are ultimately vessels for God’s will.
Reflection
Do you have a hard time being obedient to your leaders? How has God used your leaders to further His call on your life?
Prayer
Father God, I thank You for placing leaders above me who know You well. I know that God sometimes I may question their leadership, but I commit myself to being submitted to them so that I can be submitted to You. Help me overcome my doubts, anxieties, fears, and skepticism with Your Word. I will always trust You to lead me with Your voice. In Jesus name, Amen.
Written by Deborah Nimoh
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