Springwood Presbyterian Church: Whitsett, NC

Listen!

Monday and Tuesday, Ann Jennings and I attended a conference called the Acts 16:5 Initiative.  Presbytery sponsored it, hoping many churches in Salem will decide to take part in the process that was described.  Acts 16:5 is the end of a passage about Paul, Silas, and Timothy traveling through what is now modern-day Turkey, preaching the good news of Jesus Christ and telling the Gentiles of those towns that the good news was not only for the Jews, but also for them and for everyone.  It concludes, so the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in numbers daily.

Salem Presbytery hopes all the churches in our bounds will be strengthened in faith and will increase in numbers, as well.  Your Session hopes this for Springwood.  It happens that this process of transformation fits like a glove with the Session’s proposal in December to “grow Springwood deep and wide.” 

The Acts 16:5 initiative is pretty simple--based on the principles and practices we church folk know—but which we sometimes fail to follow: witnessing about our faith to others, as did Paul and Timothy; praying regularly, both for the needs we see around us, and for our faith to be transformed into discipleship; caring for one another, but also being intentional to help people who aren’t members; regular study of scripture, seeking to learn what God might be saying to us personally and as a church; inviting others to join us in worship, bible study, fellowship, outreach; and, making outreach a primary purpose of the church—the tangible kind of outreach that assists the needy, as well as the more difficult kind of outreach that tells others about Jesus.  If we do these things, we can’t help but grow in faith and become better followers of Jesus—and folks who aren’t churchgoers just might see what’s happening here, and want to be part of us.

There’s not plan of action yet, other than starting with those biblical principles and practices I named.  Every church will have to discern what God is calling it to be and to do before it changes anything.  Of course, as we pray and study and care and are cared for, we will change and things around us will change because of it.

We do well not to make changes too quickly, until we know what God wants of Springwood.  So we first have to listen for God to tell us.

Listening--to God, or to anyone--seems hard for most folks.  It’s hard to really listen, to really try to understand what’s being said without your mind wandering to what you’ll say next or forming an argument against the other person’s position.  It’s even harder to listen for God to speak.  When we pray, we get so caught up in telling God what we want, what we need—and we should do those things—that often we forget to stop and listen, in case God might have something to say to us. 

This story about Samuel—and about listening--is one of the suggested scripture readings for today.  All during this season of Epiphany, the passages relate to God revealing Godself to the world.  Sometimes, people see and hear and understand, the way Nathanael did in the story from John’s gospel.  Sometimes, people aren’t so sure, and, like Samuel, need help to recognize God’s voice. 

The boy Samuel was serving God under Eli’s direction.  This was at a time when the revelation of God was rarely heard or seen.  Do you suppose God’s revelation was rare because no one was listening, no one was expecting God?  Perhaps that’s why Samuel failed to realize it was God who called him.  He thought it was Eli, and dutifully ran to ask what he needed.  Eli sent him back to bed.

The voice called again, and Samuel again went to Eli, who told him, “Go back to sleep.”  The scripture tells us this all happened before Samuel knew God for himself.  Seems a bit strange, doesn’t it?, that someone who’s spent his whole life in the Lord’s house doesn’t know God personally.  But as Garrison Keillor says, just going to church doesn’t make you a Christian anymore than sleeping in the garage makes you a car!  Knowing God personally, hearing God speak—it takes work on our part.

The third time, the old priest Eli realized that the voice Samuel heard was God, and told Samuel, next time, answer, Speak, God.  I’m your servant, ready to listen.   

Are you uneasy about being wakened in the night?  Even when we can turn the lights on, somehow the darkness around us seems filled with fears and worries, big and little, that nip at our minds like terriers and keep us from relaxing back into a deep restorative sleep.  But what if it’s God waking us up, trying to tell us something, but can’t get through the busy signals our minds send out.  What if we can’t hear because we just can’t believe God would bother to speak to us?  And what if, instead of taking a sleeping pill—turning the light on--reading—watching tv—pacing the floor—getting a glass of milk—or just lying there stewing—what if you were to say, “Speak, God.  I’m your servant, ready to listen”?  And then actually try to listen?

I believe God still speaks to people, though God never makes us listen.  Most particularly, God speaks to us through the person and work of Jesus, God’s Word made flesh, who called the church into being.  Messages from God are to be shared for the building up of the church, just as Samuel shared God’s words with Eli for the benefit of the community who worshipped at the sanctuary at Shiloh.  Confusing messages are to be clarified by talking with and praying with others.  I pray that our listening—our sharing—our mutual discernment will bring clarity to guide us toward the future God already envisions for Springwood.

I’m going to work at listening more intentionally for God.  The psalms instruct us: Be still, and know that I am God!  (Ps. 46:10), and For God alone, my soul waits in silence.  My hope is from God, my rock and my salvation. (Ps. 62)

Danish theologian Soren Kierkegaard’s words may be helpful:

As my prayer became more attentive and inward

I had less and less to say.

I finally became completely silent.

I started to listen

--which is even further removed from speaking.

I first thought that praying entailed speaking.

I then learnt that praying is hearing,

not merely being silent.

This is how it is,

To pray does not mean to listen to oneself speaking.

Prayer involves becoming silent,

and being silent,

 and waiting until God is heard.

Will you join me in listening for God?