1 Samuel 3:10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the difference between hearing and listening. ‘Hearing’ as the “process, function, or power of perceiving sound; specifically: the special sense by which noises and tones are received as stimuli.” ‘Listening’, on the other hand, means “to pay attention to sound; to hear something with thoughtful attention; and to give consideration.” Little Samuel heard the voice of God. He sensed a strange voice calling him and misconstrued that it was Eli the High Priest. But Eli taught him to harken/listen to the voice of God. Harkening helped him to heed to the voice of God. Heeding is to pay thoughtful attention to the details of the content and to give special consideration to the subject matter of the discussion.
So, when the word-match of ‘harkening’ and ‘heeding’ cross each other we will be able to clearly distinguish the voice of God.
Hearing is like playing an album when we are busy doing something else. The music will be playing but we will not be engaging in the words or the meaning. However, when we listen, we pay attention to every note, word, sentence, and the substance of the song. Similarly, if we rush with our prayer, we will hear some impressions, voices and guidance but will not pay attention/harken or take note of what God is trying to say. It will be like the music in the background while we are rushing to work. We will not remember its tune or its tone once we get into the hustle and bustle of life. Hear, heed and harken to the voice of God to comprehend God’s leading and guidance.
Horizontal and Vertical words in crosswords:
1. Hear: Our dear Holy Spirit is willing to talk to us throughout the day. Unless we make time, room and space to hear Him, His voice will be unnoticed. Take time to hear His voice.
2. Heed: Hearing must turn into heeding or listening in order to make sense of what God is speaking to us. Heeding is focusing all our attention on Him. God would speak to us as we read His word. Read with utmost concentration. If we heed to His voice, God would speak to us in our heart and direct the words of our mouth, when we pray. God will speak to us through the impressions in our heart. Take time to listen.
3. Harken: Listening is a very big part of prayer. We should speak 10% and listen to Him 90% of our prayer time. He has far more nourishment to give us than what we have to tell Him. We can talk to Him all the time but once we have conveyed our needs, views and opinions, stop and listen to His perspective on the subject matter.
Heeding and harkening to His voice will strike the chord of divine refreshing music in our soul.
1 Samuel 3:11 And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle.
Prayer: Abba Father, help me move from hearing to heeding and harkening to your voice. Amen
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