Monday 29 November 2021

Psalm 132

Background

From the start of 1 Samuel, trust is a common theme. First with Hannah's trust in the Lord and then with a young Samuel learning to trust. He needs to trust that his vision was from God and he needs to trust that Eli was telling the truth. It can be quite scary to tell someone you've had a religious experience. That can be so even when you're telling someone you know shares your beliefs. Perhaps we've experienced so many negative messages about religion that it feels safer to keep those experiences to ourselves. 

But when we share those experiences we are sharing something special – a shared belief that there is more to life than just the physical. Some of my most precious moments are when I have been brave enough to open up about my faith. Each experience is individual, but talking to people from a variety of religions has given me an appreciation of God's desire for personal relationships with each of us. 

The Lord let none of Samuel's words fall to the ground and the Lord does the same for us. Even when we think we haven't spoken well, or we don't have a positive reaction to talking about our faith, the Lord does not let those words fall. We may not always see the results of our words, but God uses each of them to help those around us.

To Ponder:

• How easy do you find it to talk about faith?
• Have you been discouraged by someone else sharing their religious experiences?

Prayer

Faithful God, help us to trust in you as we take the leap of faith to talk about our beliefs. May you not let any of our words fall and may we use our voices to strengthen each other. Amen.