“Ways God Gets Our Attention”

1 Samuel 3: 1-10

1 Samuel 3:1–10 (NLT)

1 Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.

2 One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed.

3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God.

4 Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!” “Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?”

5 He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did.

6 Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!” Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.”

7 Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before.

8 So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy.

9 So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went back to bed.

10 And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

Introduction:

As a parent, sometimes I wondered just what it would take to get the full attention of my three sons. On occasion it seemed to be “Mission Impossible.” As I understand it, my problem was not a unique one.

I remember that when I was a lad, my grandmother, who raised me, would call me with a certain tone of voice when she was angry. When she used that tone of voice, she had my complete attention.

Many times, God wants to get our attention, so that he can give us an important message. The question is, just how is he going to get our undivided attention?

In our text, God was trying to get the attention of the young man, Samuel. He had a very important and special purpose for him. This youngster was destined by God to become the last of the judges and the first of his great prophets. The Lord was faced with the problem of how to communicate with one who did not recognize his voice. This would change through the years, for Samuel would become god's chief spokesman of his time.

T.S.: God has many ways of getting our attention:

I- A RESTLESS SPIRIT. (Esther 6: 1-2)

Esther 6:1–2 (NLT)

1 That night the king had trouble sleeping, so he ordered an attendant to bring the book of the history of his reign so it could be read to him.

2 In those records he discovered an account of how Mordecai had exposed the plot of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the door to the king’s private quarters. They had plotted to assassinate King Xerxes.

A. Sometimes the Lord creates a restless spirit in us In order to cause us to seek a word from him.

1. God gave King Ahasuerus a restless spirit.

a. Through that experience, he learned of Mordecai saving his life.

2. One of the simplest ways that God has to get our attention is by giving us a restless spirit.

a. He uses it to direct us to seek him.

II- INPUT FROM OTHER PEOPLE. (2 Samuel 12:1-12)

2 Samuel 12:1–12 (NLT)

1 So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor.

2 The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle.

3 The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter.

4 One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.”

5 David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die!

6 He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”

7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul.

8 I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more.

9 Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife.

10 From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.

11 “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view.

12 You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.”

A. God sometimes sends someone else to us with a message to help us get our life back into focus.

1. God sent the prophet Nathan to King David with a message designed to get him back on track.

2. Many times, the Lord has used Lisa to jar my mind and cause me to seek the Lord for direction in some decision.

III- EXTRAORDINARY BLESSINGS. (Romans 2: 4 )

Romans 2:4 (NLT)

4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

A. God can use unusual, abundant blessings to gain our attention.

1. These blessings may take on many forms:

a. spiritual blessings

b. financial blessings, etc.

2. Many times, he uses this method to steer us from ultimate ruin.

IV- DELAYED ANSWERS TO PRAYER. (James 4: 3; 1 John 5: 14)

James 4:3 (NLT)

3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

1 John 5:14 (NLT)

14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.

A. When the heavens become brass, God has our undivided attention.

1. Paul's prayer for the removal of his thorn in the flesh seem to be an unanswered prayer. (2 Corinthians 12: 7)

2 Corinthians 12:7 (NLT)

7 even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.

2. What seems to be unanswered prayer may be God's way of making us see problems with our spouses. (1 Peter 3: 7)

1 Peter 3:7 (NLT)

7 In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.

3. Sometimes, delayed answers to prayer stem from personal disobedience. (1 John 3: 22)

1 John 3:22 (NLT)

22 And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.

V- UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES. (Exodus 3:1-2)

A. Disappointment. (Numbers 14: 26-35 )

1. Sometimes the great disappointments in life can be the best attention getters.

a. God used the experience of disappointment to get the attention of the Israelites. (Numbers 14:26-30)

Numbers 14:26–30 (NLT)

26 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,

27 “How long must I put up with this wicked community and its complaints about me? Yes, I have heard the complaints the Israelites are making against me.

28 Now tell them this: ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say.

29 You will all drop dead in this wilderness! Because you complained against me, every one of you who is twenty years old or older and was included in the registration will die.

30 You will not enter and occupy the land I swore to give you. The only exceptions will be Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

b. When we encounter disappointments, we need to seek God to see if he is trying to teach us something.

B. Failure. (Joshua 7: 5 )

Joshua 7:5 (NLT)

5 chased the Israelites from the town gate as far as the quarries, and they killed about thirty-six who were retreating down the slope. The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away.

1. Many times, God uses failures to get our attention and steer us in the proper direction.

a. The woman and the home Bible study. (HTL, page 42 ).

C. Financial collapse. (Judges 6: 1- 6)

Judges 6:1–6 (NLT)

1 The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. So the Lord handed them over to the Midianites for seven years.

2 The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.

3 Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel,

4 camping in the land and destroying crops as far away as Gaza. They left the Israelites with nothing to eat, taking all the sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys.

5 These enemy hordes, coming with their livestock and tents, were as thick as locusts; they arrived on droves of camels too numerous to count. And they stayed until the land was stripped bare.

6 So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help.

1. When we lose all we have and can no longer provide for ourselves, God has our attention.

a. God has promised to take care of our needs. (Philippians 4: 19)

Philippians 4:19 (NLT)

19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

1) Illustration: industrialist RGK (HTL, page 44).

D. Tragedy. (Numbers 21: 4 -7)

Numbers 21:4–7 (NLT)

4 Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient with the long journey,

5 and they began to speak against God and Moses. “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?” they complained. “There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!”

6 So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died.

7 Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take away the snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people.

1. Tragedy is not always a sign of God's disapproval, but it should always be viewed through a spiritual filter.

a. Illustration: Joni Erickson Tada’s tragedy (HTL, page 45-46)

E. Sickness and affliction. (2 Chronicles 32: 24-25)

2 Chronicles 32:24–25 (NLT)

24 About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill. He prayed to the Lord, who healed him and gave him a miraculous sign.

25 But Hezekiah did not respond appropriately to the kindness shown him, and he became proud. So the Lord’s anger came against him and against Judah and Jerusalem.

1. While I do believe in healing, as described in James 5: 14, I also know that many times God uses these times to get our attention.

a. Illustration: my own personal experience.

Conclusion:

God doesn't use the same method on everyone. He also does not use the same method every time in the same individual's life. He knows just exactly what will work best for each of us at any given time.

He uses a restless spirit, a word from others, unusual blessings, delayed answers to prayer, and unusual circumstances. He may use one today and another to Morrow. But rest assured he will use what is best for each of us.

What is important is that he cares enough to employ various methods to cause us to listen to him. He desires to give us directions that will help us avoid ruining our lives; and if those directions, he must get our attention.

Our problem is, when he attempts to get our attention, we must listen.