Our day is certainly a day of tumultuous change. We could describe the changing times we face today the same way Russian empress, Catherine the Great, described the changing times of the eighteenth century, said, “A great wind is blowing and that gives you either imagination or a headache.” It has been said that “the only people who like change are babies with dirty diapers.” Change, however, has been and always will be a part of each of our lives. Change can be seen as a friend or a foe. It can result in growth of grief. The difference is in how we respond to change.
Early in his life, the prophet Samuel had to learn how to deal with change. God was bringing about some significant changes in Israel, beginning with the family of Eli, the high priest. At such a time, God’s voice called to Samuel, to guide him through this time of change.
In these days of tremendous change, we too, need to hear the voice of God. God wants to guide us, so we might know growth, not grief. He wants us to benefit from change, and not be “blown away” by change. There are two types of change that God wants to lead us through in life.
1. Change That Is Inevitable - vs. 11-18
Sometimes, we experience changes that are beyond our control.
A. Change due to changeable men - vs. 12-14
Eli’s sons, Hophni & Phinehas, “had no regard for the Lord,” (1 Samuel 2:12). They had corrupted the priesthood, taking advantage of the people, desecrating the sacrifices offered to the Lord, and were involved in sexual immorality (See 1 Samuel 2:12-17; 22-25).
Consequently, God was going to remove the house of Eli from being responsible for the ark of the covenant and from serving as priests. A change in spiritual leadership was about to occur which would effect the lives of all the people. Though Samuel and the people of Israel had nothing to do with the sins of Hophni or Phinehas; or the failure of Eli, the resulting changes would, nevertheless, effect the entire nation.
Often, change occurs that has nothing to do with us, but everything to do with others we may or may not know or circumstances we can do nothing about - a law is enacted; a politician is elected; a madman on the other side of the world wants to go to war; the stock market takes a dive - decisions are made and things occur that daily effect our lives.
Men and the systems of men are always subject to change. And more often than not, the change that often results is for the worse, not the better. In fact, the Bible would have us understand that this world will only get worse and worse, due to the changes brought about by sinful, imperfect men. Such change in our world is inevitable - ultimately, we can do nothing about it. But there is another type of change that is inevitable, in which we can find hope.
B. Change due to an unchanging God - v. 11
Samuel was told that amid the failings of men, God was working to bring about changes of His own. Indeed, the Bible tells us that though the world will become worse and worse, God will ultimately “make all things new” (Revelation 21:5).This should serve to give us hope.
God is at work amid the changes that take place in the world, to bring about the ultimate changes He has in mind, and nothing or no one in this world can stop Him. The eternal changes that God is working to bring about in this world are inevitable!
A man was celebrating his 100th birthday. A local reporter commented, “I’ll bet you’ve seen a lot of changes in your lifetime.” The old man replied, “Yep. And I’ve been agin’ every one of ‘em.”
In this world you and I live in, there are inevitable changes occurring due to the frailties and imperfections of men, many of which we can do nothing about, no matter how much we may oppose them. But there is also an inevitable change occurring due to the might and perfection of God; and no matter how much an unbelieving mankind may oppose it, this is the change that ultimately will win out.
In the meantime, what God wants to do in the lives of His children is guide us through these changes, so that we might know growth and not grief! And if we would seek to hear His voice, we can be led to respond as we should to the changes occurring in the world around us.
God’s voice calls to us to help us understand change on three levels:
1) Perception: Seeing what is now - the eyes of reality - v. 13.
A general and his young lieutenant boarded a train in England. The only seats left were across from a beautiful young lady and her grandmother. The two men sat down, facing the women. As the train pulled out, it went through a long tunnel. For a few seconds there was total darkness. In the silence of the moment two sounds were heard - a kiss and a slap.
Everyone on the train had his or her own perception of what happened. The young lady thought, “I’m flattered the lieutenant kissed me, but I’m so embarrassed that Grandmother hit him!” Grandma thought “How dare that the young man kiss my granddaughter! I’m glad she slapped him.” The general thought, “My lieutenant showed a lot of guts kissing that girl, but she slapped me by mistake!” The lieutenant was the only one who knew what happened. In that brief moment he had kissed a pretty girl and slapped his general.
2) Probability: Seeing what will be - the eyes of discernment - v. 12
3) Possibility: Seeing what can be - the eyes of vision - v. 18
As illustrated by Eli’s response to the changes revealed to Samuel, God wants to work in times of change to grant us the ability to see beyond what is and what will be to see what can be. Eli knew that the removal of him and his sons from the priesthood would mean Samuel would be positioned to lead the nation, and because God enabled Eli to see how things could change for the better with Samuel leading, he was able to embrace the changes taking place.
The Chinese word for “crisis” is composed of two picture-characters - the one meaning “danger” and the other meaning “opportunity.”
That’s what change is for the child of God, an opportunity to be led, as we seek to hear God’s voice, to gain the right perception about change, recognize the probabilities of change and embrace the possibilities of change, so our experience with change can result in growth, not grief.
2. Change That Is Initiated - vs. 19-4:la
In response to change that is inevitable, there is change that God would initiate in me and through me. God’s voice calls out to initiate . . .
A. Change within me - vs. 19-21
What was Samuel’s response to the changes taking place around him? His response was to commit himself all the more to whatever changes God wanted to make in his life. God had spoken to Samuel, enabling him to understand the possibility of what could be true for him in these times of change. In response, Samuel was willing for God to make whatever changes He wanted to bring about in his life! Samuel made sure that “he let none of God’s words fall to the ground” (v. 19b). One of the best ways to navigate through changes is to allow God to make whatever changes He wants to make in me; and God brings about positive change within me is through His changeless Word.
Christian author Max Dupree has rightly observed, “In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.”
The eccentric billionaire, Howard Hughes, used to watch an old movie called Ice Station Zebra. It starred Ernest Borgnine and was a story about an outpost at the North pole. Now, what’s strange is not that Mr. Hughes watched this film. What’s strange is that he watched the SAME film night after night! You may be as big a Ernest Borgnine fan, but nobody’s good enough to watch EVERY night (unless it’s John Wayne). But what really makes this strange is that the movie never changes, no matter how often you watch it.
Thankfully, our lives are not like a movie. Through our relationship with God, we have the power to change our stories. We don’t have to watch the same scenes a thousand times; instead, we can transform our stories while we live them.
God’s voice calls us to allow Him to initiate change within us through ordering our life according to His Word!
B. Change through me - 4:lb
God not only wants to initiate change in me; but He wants to initiate change through me. He not only wants me to allow His unchanging Word to change me, but He wants me to share with others how His unchanging Word can change them as well!
Here is where things get really exciting! It is inevitable that one day, God is going to make all things new. This is something a sovereign God is going to accomplish, no matter what. But this same sovereign God invites you and me to join Him in this work of bringing eternal change to the world around us by, first of all, calling us to allow Him (1 Samuel 3:7a) to make us a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) and secondly, to share with others how He can make them a new creation, too. God calls on us to share His timeless Word in a timely manner.
Conclusion:
Let God make a change in you and then use you to change the world
