God speaks to us in a variety of ways. He speaks through His Word, whether read or spoken. He speaks through the still small voice (the voice of crucified silence - 1Kings 19:12 alternate translation), the witness of the Spirit, the intuitive 'know-so' within. God speaks to us through the various confirmations of truth in life. He speaks to us through visions and dreams, through the wonders of creation, through meaningful situations, and through the fellowship of the saints.

Samuel is an example of one who tuned his hearing receptivity to God's voice.

1Samuel Chapter 3 informs us that the revelation of the Word of God, the primary means of God making Himself known to man, was rare. He also points out that there were not many visions. The priest Eli, was nearly blind and failing to discharge his responsibilities of maintaining the testimony of the Lord in the tabernacle and in his family. Then God spoke to the child Samuel, calling him by name. Because Samuel did not know the Lord (the word had not yet been revealed to Him v.7) Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."

When Eli realized that Samuel was being spoken to by the Lord, he told him to respond to the Lord Himself when He speaks, saying, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening."

We would do well to respond to the Lord thoroughly when He speaks, offering Him fresh obedience:

Is there any:
        Sin to Confess?
        Promise to Claim?
        Example to Follow?
        Action to Take?
        Knowledge to Share?

The Lord revealed knowledge to the young man Samuel that was not easy to share: "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." In order to enter into the new order of things, we must repudiate the old programmed responses of the sin nature. Old ingrained patterns of thought and behavior, that cause us to react in bitterness, impatience, anger, apathy, carelessness, worry, fear, inferiority and insecurity must be exposed as condemnable, and reckon judged on the Cross of Christ. By faith we appropriate the truth of God and the ability to walk in it by the power of the Spirit.

Inclining the ear,