"Speak, Lord, For Your Servant Is Listening"

This is Part 10 of a 12-Part Series on Church Hurt

For the sake of simplicity, in this series, I am typically going to refer to any place of worship as a "church" and any type of leader as a "pastor" and/or "priest".

"Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, 'Here I am.' And he ran to Eli and said, 'Here I am; you called me.'

But Eli said, 'I did not call; go back and lie down.' So he went and lay down.

Again the Lord called, 'Samuel!' And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, 'Here I am; you called me.'

'My son,' Eli said, 'I did not call; go back and lie down.'

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

A third time the Lord called, 'Samuel!' And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, 'Here I am; you called me.'

Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 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. The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, 'Samuel! Samuel!' Then Samuel said, 'Speak, for your servant is listening.'" - 1 Samuel 3:4-10

There is a difference between God's Voice and a pastor's voice. There is a difference between God's Voice and a mentor's voice. There is a difference between God's Voice and a parent's voice. It can be very easy to confuse them, but at some point, we all need to learn to recognize the difference between them.

Eli may have failed miserably when it came to dealing with his sons, but there are many things he did well, and teaching Samuel to listen for God's Voice was one of them.

A good pastor recognizes that they are not God, and that they don't have all the answers. A good pastor recognizes that God speaks to others as much as in and through them. A good pastor, mentor, etc. always points you toward God/Jesus. They don't see themselves as a "hero", a "savior", or a necessary "mediary" between you and God.  Jesus is the Savior! Jesus is the only necessary "mediary" between you and God!

I have been concerned in the recent past regarding the expression "Be Jesus", as in "we (Christians) need to 'be Jesus' to other people". I totally understand the sentiment behind that expression; the intention is that we should represent Jesus to other people and demonstrate His Love in our interactions with other people. But without intending to, it can easily cross over into wanting to be a "hero" or, worse, a "savior" to them. Our job is not to be a hero or savior for them; our job is to point them to the One who is. And believe me, no one can really "be Jesus" to anyone else; it is far too heavy a weight to carry! We should never aspire to it!

Don't confuse your pastor, mentor, etc. for God. Don't confuse their voice for God's Voice. There was a difference to Hannah between Eli and God, and between the church and God. Likewise, Eli knew and acknowledged - and Samuel eventually came to learn and understand - that there is a difference between Eli and God - regardless of what position Eli held within the church.

Their voice does not equal God's Voice. So listen with discernment.

Can God speak through a pastor or mentor? Absolutely! But that doesn't mean that every word from their mouth is a Word from God. In my personal experience, the more dependent I become on a particular pastor, teacher, or mentor, the more likely God is to start speaking through some other means. Why? Because He wants to know: Will I listen to and follow Him? Or will I listen to and follow them?

Another thing I admire about Eli is that after Samuel speaks to the Lord, Eli wanted to know what God had to say ... even if it was hard to hear! (1 Samuel 3:15-18) Eli led and served and taught with humility. Even though he was a high priest, he didn't see himself as "spiritually superior" to Samuel, even though Samuel was younger, was not a Levite (born into ministry), was not as well educated and trained in the faith, and didn't hold a high position. And Eli wanted to hear from the Lord even if it meant correction or rebuke. He may have lacked the courage to obey the leading of the Holy Spirit, but at least he wasn't quenching the Holy Spirit. If God had something to say, he absolutely wanted to hear what it was, even if it was painful!

I think it's important to take a moment to clarify something here. The number one sin in the church - and the number one cause of "church hurt" - is insisting that your interpretation of Scripture is the only interpretation of Scripture, or the only correct interpretation of Scripture. That is not Biblical. Jesus challenged the religious leaders' interpretation and application of Scripture and His disciples' interpretation and application of Scripture on a very regular basis. And after ascending to heaven, Jesus challenged Paul's interpretation and application of Scripture through the Holy Spirit on a very regular basis.

Typically, when Jesus challenged them or corrected them, it was because they were interpreting and applying Scripture too liberally, or, more often than not, too strictly. If someone is too extreme in their understanding and application of Scripture - regardless of whether it is at one end of the spectrum or the other - God will want to correct that and bring them more to center. And that is not being "lukewarm"! God can - and has the authority to - dramatically change our understanding or interpretation of Scripture, even very firmly held beliefs and doctrine (i.e. - "religious strongholds").

Pastor Bill Johnson of Bethel Church has been quoted as saying:

"God never violates His Word. But He's quite comfortable violating our understanding of His Word."

That means that studying Scripture is a process; sometimes we have to unlearn things we have previously been taught.

It's important to note that even with a strong Scriptural background and upbringing, Samuel had trouble recognizing God's Voice at first. As with any relationship, it takes an investment of time and experience to really know God and to be able to distinguish His Voice amongst all the "noise".

You can hear directly from God. And, ultimately, God is your CEO, COO, CFO, CTO, Board of Directors, and the ultimate "Senior Pastor"! You answer to Him. Period. And if someone in a position of power or authority (within the church or outside of the church) is ever proposing, participating in, condoning, or encouraging - publicly or privately - something that seems morally wrong or possibly even illegal, seek God first and foremost ... no matter how much Scripture they manage to hurl at you!

© I Lift My Voice, 2025

Click Here to Read Part 11 in This 12-Part Series on Church Hurt