Reflections from the Journey
In District work we often have opportunity and reason to ponder our calling and the calling of others. Across the Old Testament and New Testament scriptures we have quite a number of call narratives. In I Samuel 3 we have the call story of Samuel, a young lad who is serving in the temple, giving assistance to Eli, an elderly priest whose eyesight is failing. The details of this story are intriguing. The narrator begins by telling us that there’s not much spiritual depth in this time in Israel’s history – the word of the Lord was rare and visions were not widespread. God’s people, and in this case, also Eli’s family, had not been grounded very well in God, it seems. Few people proclaim the word or bring prophesy. And few people were experiencing deep spiritual moments. So even though young Samuel is serving in the temple, he may not have been exposed very much to people who were articulating the faith in a personal way. In fact, the narrator tells us that Samuel did not yet know the Lord. Samuel had not come to have a faith experience of his own yet. Perhaps Samuel is learning the rituals and the rules of the faith as he assists Eli, but Samuel did not have an encounter with God. And since there weren’t many people around who were having those kinds of experiences, Samuel has no way to interpret what’s happening to him as this story unfolds. You might say he’s in the dark.
And the phrase “in the dark” might just be a pretty good way to think about the I Samuel 3 setting in a number of ways. The story is played out at night, and there are other elements of being in the dark. What the narrator says about the lack of spiritual experiences among the people could be understood as the people as a whole being in the dark spiritually. The language that lamp of God had not yet gone out gives a sense of being in the semi-darkness with just a single, symbolic lamp burning. The possibility for clear vision in such situations is dim. And yet, with just that single lamp, there still is some light, there still is some hope. There’s also reference to Eli’s poor eyesight, a kind of darkness or blindness. With all of this, it might be hard for a message from God to get through. We see that it does take some doing. It takes Eli hearing young Samuel’s story three times until the proverbial light bulb comes on for him. Oh! this is God speaking to the young lad! It’s a good thing that God is persistent with the call. And it’s a good thing that Samuel keeps listening. It’s a good thing that he has an openness to follow Eli’s instruction, because despite Eli’s poor eyesight , he still has some spiritual insight and can give some guidance to young Samuel. He has the ability to direct young Samuel toward the one who calls him in the darkness.
God is used to working in the darkness. God is accustomed to bringing light into dark places to bring forth something new. God has practice in taking just one person, in this case, even a young boy, to begin something that will change the life of God’s people. The way will not be easy for Samuel, but with his willingness to try to understand what’s happening, and with his willingness to be obedient to the instructions of Eli, his mentor, Samuel takes the first step into a new future. Not just his own future as one who listens for God, but as one who speaks for God to God’s people. In the midst of the dim possibilities and the darkness of the night, God begins a new thing in Samuel.
Samuel is open to God, and responsive even before he knows exactly what’s going on. How much more might we who bear the name of God’s beloved son, how much more might we be open to hearing from God?
What would it be like for each of us to be open to hearing God’s voice, God’s message for us? What would happen if, as congregations, as a district, we might be more fully awake and alert to how God is trying to communicate with us? If a young lad could receive a word from God, couldn’t each of us also? We might not literally hear a voice, but I believe that God is communicating with all of us. That’s a basic part of God’s nature – to reach out in relationship to the human family. In the darkest hours, when hope seems dim, and we think that the very lamp of God is about to flicker and go out never to give light again, that is the very time that we are called to be open, to listen carefully, to be alert to what God might be doing in our midst, in our lives, in our congregations, in our district, and in the denomination. In so many of the biblical stories, it just took one open and willing person to hear and respond for the darkness to turn to light, for sorrow to turn to joy, and for despair to be transformed into energy for mission and ministry. It just takes one Samuel or one Samantha to be stirred from their sleep and respond to God’s call to give a word of hope. Will you listen? Will you hear? And will you say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening?”
Connie R. Burkholder
Interim District Executive
And the phrase “in the dark” might just be a pretty good way to think about the I Samuel 3 setting in a number of ways. The story is played out at night, and there are other elements of being in the dark. What the narrator says about the lack of spiritual experiences among the people could be understood as the people as a whole being in the dark spiritually. The language that lamp of God had not yet gone out gives a sense of being in the semi-darkness with just a single, symbolic lamp burning. The possibility for clear vision in such situations is dim. And yet, with just that single lamp, there still is some light, there still is some hope. There’s also reference to Eli’s poor eyesight, a kind of darkness or blindness. With all of this, it might be hard for a message from God to get through. We see that it does take some doing. It takes Eli hearing young Samuel’s story three times until the proverbial light bulb comes on for him. Oh! this is God speaking to the young lad! It’s a good thing that God is persistent with the call. And it’s a good thing that Samuel keeps listening. It’s a good thing that he has an openness to follow Eli’s instruction, because despite Eli’s poor eyesight , he still has some spiritual insight and can give some guidance to young Samuel. He has the ability to direct young Samuel toward the one who calls him in the darkness.
God is used to working in the darkness. God is accustomed to bringing light into dark places to bring forth something new. God has practice in taking just one person, in this case, even a young boy, to begin something that will change the life of God’s people. The way will not be easy for Samuel, but with his willingness to try to understand what’s happening, and with his willingness to be obedient to the instructions of Eli, his mentor, Samuel takes the first step into a new future. Not just his own future as one who listens for God, but as one who speaks for God to God’s people. In the midst of the dim possibilities and the darkness of the night, God begins a new thing in Samuel.
Samuel is open to God, and responsive even before he knows exactly what’s going on. How much more might we who bear the name of God’s beloved son, how much more might we be open to hearing from God?
What would it be like for each of us to be open to hearing God’s voice, God’s message for us? What would happen if, as congregations, as a district, we might be more fully awake and alert to how God is trying to communicate with us? If a young lad could receive a word from God, couldn’t each of us also? We might not literally hear a voice, but I believe that God is communicating with all of us. That’s a basic part of God’s nature – to reach out in relationship to the human family. In the darkest hours, when hope seems dim, and we think that the very lamp of God is about to flicker and go out never to give light again, that is the very time that we are called to be open, to listen carefully, to be alert to what God might be doing in our midst, in our lives, in our congregations, in our district, and in the denomination. In so many of the biblical stories, it just took one open and willing person to hear and respond for the darkness to turn to light, for sorrow to turn to joy, and for despair to be transformed into energy for mission and ministry. It just takes one Samuel or one Samantha to be stirred from their sleep and respond to God’s call to give a word of hope. Will you listen? Will you hear? And will you say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening?”
Connie R. Burkholder
Interim District Executive
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