In 1 Samuel 3, it recounts a conversation between God and young Samuel long ago. When woken in the night by a voice calling his name, Samuel, thinking it his mentor Eli calling him, replies saying, “Here I am.” It took three times before Eli realized that it was the Lord calling Samuel. What followed was one of the most significant conversations between a child and God recorded in the Bible.
Few of us would say that we are the best listeners. Our minds wander: we often interject too quickly; or at best we remain conscious of the potential interruptions of others, and mindful of the time. Consequently, we can hardly wonder that God’s voice often remains unheard, and our need to connect meaningfully with God and with others unmet.
Here I am offers four simple questions to facilitate honest conversations and is suitable for primary aged children to the most senior of us. Although it can helpfully be used for conversations between adults or between children, we would also encourage you to invite young people to sits with older generations and to use these questions as a starting point for a conversation-and then to do it the other way around.
