“THE INTERRUPTING SERVANT”

© Opeyemi Akintunde
As Inspired by THE LIVING WORD

“Naomi, I need you to…” 
But Naomi was already halfway down the stairs before her master could finish. She knew her master so well—or so she thought. She had heard similar statements so many times that she felt confident in completing his thoughts. “I know exactly what he wants,” she said under her breath.

Unfortunately, this time she was wrong.

Her master had wanted her to prepare a guest room for a visitor coming next week, but Naomi, in her haste, rushed to clean the room meant for renovation, and ended up having the carpenters rearrange the wrong place. When her master found out, he sighed, “Naomi, I didn’t say today, and I didn’t say that room.”

Many of us are like Naomi. We love God. We’re eager to serve. We run quickly when we hear Him speak. But sometimes, we interrupt Him in our minds, rushing ahead of His leading. We assume we know what He wants, when He wants it, and how He wants it. In our desire to please, we forget the discipline of listening fully.

Naomi’s enthusiasm came from a place of love, but her assumption resulted in wasted effort. She was so used to running errands that she no longer listened to the full instruction.

God doesn’t just call us to go He calls us to understand. To receive full clarity. Just like Samuel waited and said, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10), we must develop the patience to listen and discern the following;

THE WHAT: Don’t assume it’s always about evangelism or preaching. Sometimes, it’s a call to rest, to encourage one person, to give quietly, or even to be silent.

THE WHO: The mission isn’t always to the masses. Sometimes, the “assignment” is your colleague, your child, or even you. Obedience is personal.

THE WHEN: David was anointed king but had to wait years to ascend the throne. Timing matters to God. Premature obedience can become disobedience.

THE HOW: God told Moses to speak to the rock, but Moses struck it (Numbers 20:8-12). Method matters to God. The way you carry out His instruction is as important as the instruction itself.

Don’t outrun God. Don’t be an interrupting servant. Be a listening one.

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SCRIPTURE FOCUS
1 Samuel 3:10 (NIV) — _“The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’

Habakkuk 2:1 (NLT) — “I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guardpost. There I will wait to see what the Lord says and how he will answer my complaint.”

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PRAYER BULLETS

1. Lord, teach me to slow down and listen fully to Your instructions before I act.

2. I refuse to assume divine instructions, I will receive them with clarity and humility in Jesus’ name.

3. Father, help me to honor Your timing, method, and audience for every assignment.

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Written by Opeyemi Akintunde
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