Characteristic One of a Believer: Attentive

“Diana Gail,” when I hear my middle name I listen, I am attentive to the person calling! Usually, I’m in trouble. Beloved, think back is this true for you? I’m a confessed backseat driver, how many of you help your mate drive? It’s the only time that I call my husband Doug, Douglas. He admits that he has selective hearing. But when I yell, “Douglas,” I have his attention. Driving a large truck and towing a fifth wheel, he’s so particular that he can see clearly out of his mirrors. I’m often in trouble for getting in the way of his vision in those dar mirrors. On our way to California, I was attentive and didn’t block his vision, so he can’t blame me for what happened as we were two blocks from where we were going to park our 5th wheel. What happened next was an accident. He misjudged an overhead of a station thought we could clear it with our 5th wheel. Guess what!

As a believer, one of the characteristics we are attentive to the voice of the Lord. John McArthur in his Study Bible identified thirty-one characteristics and the scriptures. As I prayed about what to write for the month of October, I thought how important to share these characteristics. Hannah’s attentive to the Lord as she is barren in 1 Samuel 1. Elkanah loves his wife so much but unable to console her during a visit to the temple. She’s bullied by his other wife who gave Elkanah children. She goes to the temple and prays as she cries out to the Lord, the priest Eli thinks she’s drunk. When Eli questions her, he finds out her plight. Eli says in 1 Samuel 1:17, “In that case, go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.” Hannah conceives a child and as promised when Samuel could be weaned, she gives Samuel to the Lord. Hannah in Chapter 2 praises God in prayer. We can see she was attentive to the Lord’s voice. She says in 1 Samuel 2:1, ” My heart rejoices in the Lord, The Lord has made me strong. Now I have an answer for my enemies; I rejoice because you rescued me.” (NLT)

Hannah gives this child to the Lord and we see this child Samuel in 1 Samuel 3 serving the Lord by assisting the priest Eli. Samuel sleeping near the Ark of God, suddenly the Lord called out, Samuel!” Samuel’s attentive thinking it is Eli runs to the old priest sends him back to bed, then the Lord calls out again. Samuel goes to the priest, the priest sends him back to bed because he hadn’t called him. In verse seven, Samuel did not know the Lord, because he had never had a message from the Lord before. Non-believers are not attentive to the voice of the Lord, however, the Holy Spirit draws them. This is what happens next. Eli realizes that the Lord’s calling the boy Samuel. So he gives Samuel instruction in verse nine to go back to bed and be attentive.

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This time 1 Samuel 3:10, “And the Lord came and called as before, Samuel! Samuel!” He didn’t have to use Samuel’s middle name to gain his attention, Samuel’s attentive and says, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

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Beloved, Jesus does not need our middle names. Are you attentive to his voice? John 10:3 demonstrates the one characteristic of a believer, we are attentive because we know the Shepherd’s voice. Is your name written in the Lamb’s book of life? 

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My husband felt so bad at the accident, all that was hurt was our 5th wheel I didn’t have the heart to call him Douglas. I called him honey and thanked God the 5th wheel could be fixed. I am living with my dad while the 5th wheel’s repaired and I am attentive to his voice, I’ve grown out of being in trouble so I am left with pet names like “pumpkin” and “honey.”  What is God calling you? If you are born-again, one’s beloved.

Father God, thank you that we are attentive to you because of the Holy Spirit. Lord, if someone has not accepted your Son as their Savior please let today be the day. You are the gate-keeper, our shepherd and you know my name is Diana. Today, let me be attentive to your voice. In Jesus name. Amen

How do you know the Lord’s voice? Beloved, we have to pray and read God’s Word daily to recognize God’s voice.

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This post is part of a 31 day series on the Characteristics of a Believer. I am so glad that you are here. To read all of the posts in this series, click here.