Speak, Lord — Your Servant Is Listening

Tyler Everett
Nov 2
3 min read

1 Samuel 3:1–10

There’s something powerful about a simple phrase:

“Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.”

That’s where we find young Samuel in 1 Samuel chapter 3. Scripture opens with a haunting statement: “The word of the Lord was rare in those days.” But it wasn’t because God had gone silent—it was because His people had stopped listening.

One night, Samuel lay asleep in the temple when he heard his name: “Samuel.” Thinking it was Eli, he ran to the old priest. But Eli hadn’t called him. This happened three times until Eli realized—it was the Lord. So he told the boy, “When He calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” And that moment changed Samuel’s life.

When God Is Speaking—But We’re Out of Tune

I grew up in a trailer home where, if you wanted TV, you had to adjust the antenna until the picture came in clear. Sometimes someone would be outside on the pole, turning the antenna while someone inside shouted, “Go back! Right there! Stop!”

That’s what hearing God can be like. The signal is strong, but the receiver is off. The Word of the Lord isn’t rare today—but our positioning often is. We’re so tuned in to news, social media, and culture that we can’t pick up heaven’s frequency. God is speaking, but we’ve got too much static.

1. Knowledge: Knowing His Voice

Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27).

The more time you spend with someone, the easier it is to recognize their voice. My wife can call me and say one word—“hey”—and I instantly know it’s her. That’s knowledge born from time and intimacy. It’s the same with God. You’ll never know His voice if you only talk to Him on Sundays. His voice becomes familiar when you spend time in His Word and in prayer.

2. Obedience: Doing What He Says

James 1:22 says, “Don’t just listen to God’s Word. Do what it says.”

There’s a difference between passive listening and active listening. Passive listeners nod. Active listeners obey.

In John 2, Mary told the servants at the wedding in Cana, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” That simple act of obedience released the first miracle of Jesus. The same principle applies to us—often, the miracle we’re waiting for is hidden in the last thing God told us to do.

3. Time: Growing Sensitivity to His Presence

Knowledge and obedience multiplied by time produce sensitivity.

Over the years, you learn not just to recognize God’s voice, but to sense His tone—His direction, His peace, His conviction. Like David wrote, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want… surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”

David knew that wherever the Shepherd’s voice led, God’s presence, goodness, and mercy followed.

A Life That Listens

When we say, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening,” we’re not praying for information—we’re posturing our hearts for transformation. Like Samuel, we tune our hearts to heaven’s frequency.Like Mary, we do whatever He says.Like David, we trust that His voice will never lead where His presence won’t go. Once I was young, now I’m older—but I can say with confidence: I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken. God still speaks. The question is—are we listening?