The longer we walk with the Lord, the more accustomed we become to seeing him and hearing his voice. In fact, it would seem strange indeed if we did not see and hear him on a regular basis. Do understand that he is not our bellhop, and he is not subject to respond to our demands in order that he shows himself obedient to us.

The simple truth is that it is only when our hearts are set to see and hear him because he is our Lord, and we desire to serve him more than any other thing. When our hearts are set to see and hear the Lord—in order to obey him and to give him praise and glory in all that we do—God honors that commitment in us.

Suffice it to say that we know more about God now than did Hannah, who surely was to become the mother of one of the greatest prophets of the people of faith. She had been barren, and was quite frankly sick of it. In desperation she went to the Temple and poured out her heart to the God of Israel, expecting little in return.

Hannah was so caught up in her conversation with the Lord that High Priest Eli thought she was drunk. But when she made her desire to hear from God clearly known, she received a blessing, as we read in 1 Samuel 1.17: Eli answered, ‘Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.’ She left the Temple in peace, and God gave her the assurance of his presence in a son of her own. Hannah promptly gave that son to God, and he gave her other children as a return on her investment. We are to expect to see and hear our Lord at all times, and he will delight in fulfilling our expectations, blessing us for our faithfulness to him.