Have you checked your email today?  How about your voice mail?   When the telephone rings my children will holler “I’ve got it!!”  and make a mad dash past me and dive at the receiver.  I will shout back as they pass “Don’t give it to me!”  So eager are they to hear from their friends, so afraid they are going to miss something.  We have answering machines, caller ID, call waiting, email, faxes, instant messenger, pagers (does anyone still have these?) voice mail, cell phones, text messaging, and I’m sure there is more.  All of these so that we don’t miss a call or message from a friend, family or business.  There is only one slight flaw with all of these devices.  No one has yet run a line or made a connection to God.  How is He going to get in touch with us?  He has His ways, but His  ways are not our ways.  It’s not going to be in an email or text message.  He’s not going to leave you a voice mail.  But he IS trying to call you.  Today’s reading at church told the story about young Samuel who was called by the Lord 3 times, but did not recognized it was from Him.  He thought it was Eli.  Eli understood and told Samuel to answer “Your servant is listening”  (1 Sam 3:1-14)

How many times has God called us and we weren’t listening?  Or worse yet, how many times has he called and we ignored Him?   Ignored God?!  Never!  But anytime we did something that we knew in our hearts was wrong or immoral, that’s exactly what we did.  God speaks to us through our hearts and our conscience , and when we go against our conscience, we are going against God, we are choosing to ignore God.

We first have to develop a relationship with God.  How do we do this?  The same way you develop a friendship with anyone else.  You spend time with them.  We can spend time with God by going to mass, weekly or daily.  Through daily prayer and devotion.  But part of a relationship isn’t doing all the talking, you have to listen also.  It is in listening that we will hear His calling.  It may be something we feel in our heart, it may come through another person, it may be in an opportunity that presents itself.   Sometimes it’s not as easy as checking our voice mail, we have to learn to ‘listen’ with our hearts as well as our ears.

It’s a little past Christmas but this is appropriate to share right now.  One of my favorite Christmas songs is “The Christmas Guest”.  I’m not sure who originally sang it but I like the one done by Reba McIntire. 

   It happened one day near December's end
Two neighbors called on an old friend
And they found his shop so meager and lame
Made gay with a thousand bows of green
And Conrad was sittin' with face ashined
When he suddenly stopped as he stiched a twine
And he said "Oh friends at dawn today
When the cock was crowin' the night away
The Lord appeared in a dream to me
And said 'I'm comin' your guest to be.'
So I've been busy with feet astir
And strewin' my shop with branches of fir
The table is spread and the kettle is shined
And over the rafters the holly is twined
Now I'll wait for my Lord to appear
And listen closely so I will hear His step
As He nears my humble place
And I'll open the door and look on His face"
So his friends went home and left Conrad alone
For this was the happiest day he'd known
For long since his family had passed away
And Conrad had spent many a sad Christmas day
But he knew with the Lord as his Christmas guest
This Christmas would be the dearest and best
So he listened with only joy in his heart
And with every sound he would rise with a start
And look for the Lord to be at his door
Like the vision he'd had a few hours before
So he ran to the window after hearin' a sound
But all he could see on the snow-covered ground
Was a shabby begger who's shoes were torn
And all of his clothes were ragged and worn
But Conrad was touched and he went to the door
And he said "You know, your feet must be frozen and sore
I have some shoes in my shop for you
And a coat that'll keep you warmer too"
So with grateful heart, the man went away
But Conrad noticed the time of day
And wondered what made the Lord so late
And how much longer he'd have to wait
When he heard a knock he ran to the door
But it was only a stranger once more
A bent ol' lady with a shawl of black
With a bundle of kindlin' piled on her back
She asked for only a place to rest
But that was reserved for Conrad's great guest
But her voice seemed to plead "Don't send me away
Let me rest for awhile on Christmas day"
So Conrad brewed her a steamin' cup
And told her to sit at the table and sup
But after she left he was filled with dismay
For he saw that the hours were slippin' away
And the Lord hadn't come as He said He would
And Conrad felt sure he'd misunderstood
When out of the stillness he heard a cry
"Please help me, and tell me where am I!"
So again he opened his friendly door
And stood disappointed as twice before
It was only a child who'd wandered away
And was lost from her family on Christmas day
Again, Conrad's heart was heavy and sad
But he knew he should make the little girl glad
So he called her in and he wiped her tears
And quieted all her childish fears
Then he led her back to her home once more
But as he entered his own darkened door
He knew the Lord was not comin' today
For the hours of Christmas had passed away
So he went to his room and he knelt down to pray
And he said "Dear Lord, why did You delay?
What kept You from comin' to call on me?
For I wanted so much Your Face to see"
When soft in the silence, a voice he heard
"Lift up your head, for I kept my word
Three times my shadow crossed your floor
And three times I came to your lonely door
I was the begger with bruised, cold feet
And I was the woman you gave somethin' to eat
I was the child on the homeless street.
Three times I knocked and three times I came in
And each time I found the warmth of a friend
Of all the gifts love is the best
And I was honored to be your Christmas guest."

God comes to us when we least suspect, and even if we are looking and listening we may not recognize Him.  

Today look and listen with your heart.  Let God know you are listening and want to be His servant.  You may not get a fax or an email, but He WILL answer!