“But the Lord spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven that day, and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them.” –1 Samuel 7:10
Have you ever encountered a friend or family member who was in a quandary and sought your help? Then, after listening intently, you discover that there really wasn’t a problem that anyone could fix? If you have, then I am going to wager that you tried to point out the reasonable explanation of his or her issue and proceeded to describe a way out of the dilemma. And what was his or her response? Instead of receiving profuse praises and thankfulness, you were confronted with consternation and anger!
Here’s what happened. You ran into the reality that a person’s feelings about something can sometimes seem like facts to them. This was the case for the people of Israel as recorded in 1 Samuel 7. They were sad and worried that for 20 years it appeared as if God had abandoned them. Not true! Reality was that they had turned from Him! It was as if they were trying to listen to Him with their fingers stuck in their ears. The prophet Samuel called them all together to turn things around and help them to, once again, listen and hear from God.
As a result, problems arose. Their archenemies the Philistines heard they were gathering and misinterpreted it to mean that Israel was gathering to attack them. So the Philistines marched to battle. The people of Israel were terrified! Samuel’s answer for them was, “Don’t stop pleading with the Lord!” (verse 8). Long story short, God listens and then God speaks.
“But the Lord spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven that day, and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them” (verse 10).
How does this story speak to you and me at Loma Linda University Health? Well, if we will sit still with it and listen, I believe God wants to speak to us.
First, we need to give the gift of ourselves and our time to others who are in need. We need to listen. We don’t necessarily have to fix or point out their problem as much as we need to be present in the moment, understand, and walk through their journey with them.
Second, we can help them understand where God is. He hasn’t abandoned us or turned a deaf ear toward us. He is with us and cares for us, even if our feelings, fears and perceptions obscure Him. Others can see and hear us, and we can help them to see Him through us.
Third, this story in 1 Samuel reminds us that God still acts! And, more often than not, He acts on our behalf in ways that we never thought of or imagined.
“And there was peace … in those days” (verse 14).
Loma Linda University Health can be a place of peace. It can be a place of transformation. It can truly be a place that continues the teaching and healing ministry of Jesus Christ when we are willing to give each other the precious gifts of our time, our presence, our care and our listening ears.
—Terry Swenson, DMin, is campus chaplain for Loma Linda University.
