It's all in the voice...

“…with so much that has been given,

what is our obligation?”

- Anonymous

“Samuel, Samuel, ” the voice called…

The ritual was the same most nights.  There would be a hug and a kiss good night, preceded by a short prayer thanking God for the day and maybe for those who might be less fortunate than us. 

Then there would be those special nights – there were many as a child, when Mum would tell me a story.  Her favorites, and by extension mine, were those of the Old Testament in the Bible.  One I loved to hear, and would request from time to time, was Samuel.  

A fellow named Elkanah (El-cain-ah) had two wives: Hannah and Peninah.  Peninah (Pe-nee-nah) produced several children, but Hannah was barren…and pretty depressed about it.  One year, quietly and bitterly praying to God, she negotiated:

“…If, thou wilt look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life…” (1 Samuel 1:11 – Bible)

The deal?  Give me a boy and I’ll give him back to you.  She returned home, and the scripture says, “…Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord remembered her.”  Thus begins the unlikely journey of Samuel, one of the pivotal characters of the Old Testament.

When the child was two, Hannah took him to the Priest Eli and gave the child to the old man.  This was her deal…give me the child and I’ll give him back - she honored the arrangement.  Somewhere around the age of five, Samuel was sleeping and God called him.  The scripture says, “…the Lord called Samuel…,” but my mother recounted that God said, “Samuel, Samuel…”  There is no way for me to express the quiet and urgent gentleness of my mother’s voice as she spoke those words, but in the imagination of a young child, I was transported to the very room where God spoke to this little boy. 

Samuel thought it was the old priest calling him and went to see what he wanted.  The priest, of course had not done so.  This was repeated twice before the Eli realized God was trying to communicate with the boy.  He instructed Samuel to say, “…Speak Lord; for thy servant heareth…” – which Samuel did, ultimately leading to Samuel's role in the birth the Hebrew monarchy.

This was just one of many stories Mum would tell.  They were intimate and animated and full of quiet enthusiasm.  You see, I was Samuel to my mother.  It is not that she was barren, for I was given two great sisters.  It is that she had fervently prayed that God would give her children that she and my father could care for and raise with purpose.

Mum would tell me - maybe it was when I first heard the story of Samuel - I didn’t belong to she and my dad.  I was a gift from God and it was their obligation and duty to raise me for Him.  It is difficult to express the comfort of these words from her.  There was the sense that this was a team effort…inclusive – not exclusive. 

She and dad had conceived me, but in fact, I was to be a free moral agent being prepared to hear ‘the voice’ myself.  That was their job as she saw it.  Teach me the language, tell me the stories, inform me of my place in this world and then turn me loose - her work complete.

She would say, it might not come as clearly as “Samuel, Samuel…,” but it would come.  The task might not be of Samuel’s magnitude, but...it would be.  I should be aware, she would continue, that like Samuel, it might take time to recognize God’s leading, but if I kept my mind open, I would eventually recognize ‘the voice.’

And so my childhood would go.  Mum was clever when telling many of these stories, taking poetic license here and there.  Some of the Biblical stories are fairly explicit, if not in language, certainly in intent.  The story of Esther provides an example.  A King named Ahasurerus (A-hash-U-E-rus), had divorced his wife and was looking for a new queen.  His counselors rounded up the young virgins of the kingdom, prepared them and presented to the king - one a night.  Esther was one of these girls.  He took a great affection to her and made her his queen.  Mum explained the reason the king liked Esther so much was that she was a “…very good story teller, and the king really enjoyed them.”

As the years have gone by, some of the warmest memories I have are the times I had with my mother in the twilight of the day – telling me stories.  As she admonished, I have tried to listen for ‘the voice’ as my journey has unfolded.  As anyone that seeks knows, discerning God’s leading is not always evident.  Yet, seekers know 'the sound' when they hear it.  It may not be clear to others what the voice of God sounds like, but I can assure you, when He quietly speaks to my heart, it is the distinct and quiet voice of my mother calling “Ted, Ted…”

Happy Mother’s Day Mum.

 

- ted