Proclaiming the Word of God

When was the last time you heard something that made your ears tingle? Something that made your ears perk up? Was it someone calling your name, shouting the score of the latest bowl game, or whispering a funny joke?

Our Scripture this week comes from John 1:43-51 and 1 Samuel 3:1-11.

I wonder how Eli must have felt at the beginning of this passage, since he certainly wasn't hearing anything that made his ears tingle. Did he feel like a failure? He had failed as a parent - his sons (the leaders of Israel) were corrupt, using sacrifices for their own personal gain and exploiting women. He had failed as a priest - the word of God was rare, a complete communications shutdown between the people and God. Even his own body was failing him – he was pretty much blind, dependent on others to help him do his work and his mundane tasks. I imagine him crying out, “Lord, speak to me! Speak to me that I may speak! Lead me so I can lead! Teach me so I can teach! Use me, use even frail, broken, old me!” And he heard nothing in return.

It’s in the middle of this despair that he is called to care for a young boy, Samuel. In the middle of this hopelessness, he is called to care for the hope of a new life. In the middle of feeling like a failure, he is called to help a new young boy succeed. In the middle of the night, God calls by name, and calls Samuel to proclaim the Word of God.

Have you ever felt broken, like a failure, completely useless? Have you ever felt that nothing was going your way, that there was nothing left for you? The Good News is that it is not the end. The Good News, as we see in the Gospel reading as well, is that God uses us and knows us, despite our skepticism, despite our own feelings. The Good News is that we are all called to proclaim the Word of God, whether we are old or young or somewhere in between.

Samuel could not have responded and grown in his faith without Eli. Nathanael could not have known Jesus without the invitation of Philip. The kingdom of God calls for collaboration, the kingdom of God begins with an invitation, begins with an epiphany as God reaches into our hearts and begins a transformation.

It is never too late to embrace your call as a proclaimer of the Word of God. The Lord calls you by name – how will you respond? Are your ears open, ready to tingle?

Grace and peace, Pastor Kate