The Danger of Yes
A couple of months ago, Nikki Harbison wrote a blog entry titled, “The Freedom of Yes.” Today, I would like to warn you about the danger of yes. Danger, not as in harm is headed your way, but danger as in God will walk through the door you just opened.
In 1 Samuel Chapter 3, Samuel is a young boy in the service of Eli, the priest in the Temple of The Lord. Not many people at that time, not even priests, heard God audibly speak directly to them, so when God called Samuel one night, he didn’t recognize Him. Samuel thought Eli was calling him, and so dutifully went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Eli had not called Samuel, and told him to go back to bed. This happened two more times, three in total, before Eli realized it had been the Lord who was calling Samuel. Eli instructed Samuel to answer the next time the Lord called him in this way: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Samuel went back to bed, and when the Lord called him again Samuel answered in this way.
One of the reasons Samuel did not recognize the Lord was because, “Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him,” (1 Samuel 3:7). Once Samuel told the Lord he was listening, the floodgates opened, and God revealed His plans to Samuel. Samuel went on to become one of the strongest of the prophets in the Old Testament, anointing King Saul and King David.
“The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word,” (1 Samuel 3:19-21).
Here is the danger of saying yes to God:
The first part of Samuel’s answer to God, “Speak, Lord,” is dangerous because it opens a door to the power of God. Samuel wasn’t just saying, “Okay God, I’m awake now, so go ahead and tell me stuff.” In the beginning, God SPOKE the universe into existence. God SPOKE His covenants to Abraham and Noah. God SPOKE to Moses about the plagues, the suffering of the Hebrews in Egypt, their exodus, and the ten commandments. God SPOKE to and through His prophets. God SPOKE about His Messiah and our redemption. Every time in the Bible when God speaks - His power is manifested. Even nature, whose laws are immutable, trembles before the word of the Lord.
The second part of Samuel’s answer, “[F]or your servant,” is dangerous because it establishes a position of action. A servant performs duties. This is action, and no longer voluntary. A servant is required to perform the duties assigned to them, so when we label ourselves servants of God, we are placing ourselves in a position requiring us to act according to His dictates.
The third part of Samuel’s answer, “[Is] listening,” is dangerous because listening is not the same as hearing. Hearing simply means we recognize and/or acknowledge a sound has been made. Listening means we give careful attention to a sound. When we tell God we are listening, we are committing to giving careful attention to what He is saying, and it may not be something we want to listen to.
When Samuel answers God’s call with, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening,” God proceeds to tell him everything He is about to do to Eli and his family in response to their years of corruption. In the morning, when Eli asks Samuel to tell him what the Lord said, poor little Samuel has to choose between lying to his mentor, a priest of the Lord, and being faithful to God. Samuel chooses God and tells Eli everything the Lord said.
The danger of yes isn’t a danger that originates with us, and this post is not meant to discourage you from asking God to speak to you. Instead, let Samuel’s story be a cautionary tale for you. When we give ourselves to God, and seek His will in our lives, we had better be ready for God to speak and for us to listen. The Holy Spirit is the power of God manifested in us as children of God, and that carries great weight and responsibility. To be ambassadors of God, living examples of His love for us, is a heavy burden - especially now. The danger is in not really understanding what our “yes” means to God, and how He will use us when we say yes to Him.
The rewards of a life spent walking with, listening to, and serving God knows no boundary in the rewards that come with these actions. Enter your season of freedom in yes with the wisdom of, and respect for, what that means.
When you’re truly ready - when you hear God calling you - say: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” And then prepare for one amazing adventure!
AMEN
