A devotional on 1 Samuel 12
If you had one last lecture to give, what would you say? What would be your last piece of advice?
Samuel begins his farewell in an odd way. He says he has been faithful to the people. He has never taken anything from them, unlike the king who will rule over them — taking their sons and daughters for service. But he, Samuel, has not done this and he wants to make sure they see it.
Why does Samuel begin his farewell this way — making sure they trust him? He needs their trust because of what he wants to say next: “The Lord is the one who appointed Moses and Aaron to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. Now therefore stand still …”
Samuel is clear: If you trust me, listen to my story. It is a story about the Lord, so “Stand still.” Be respectful. Listen. Shhhh.
There it is. This is not a simple farewell. This is an old man who has served his people and his Lord faithfully. He knows his end is near and he is very concerned about their future. Very concerned. “Stand still so that I may plead (reason) with you before the Lord concerning all the saving deeds … which he performed for you and for your fathers.”
One can almost hear the crowd quiet down, like children after they’ve come to the front of the church for a children’s story. They situate themselves, arrange their clothes, giggle, but when the storyteller begins, they quiet.
Samuel recounts a story of ups and downs — of their unfaithfulness and the Lord’s faithfulness. While the Lord has called human leaders (Moses, Aaron, etc.) to guide, the Lord has been their ultimate Leader. This is a theocracy, not a kingdom. Samuel’s story ends with the story of their demands to have a king — not the Lord’s plan, but given to them because of their demands.
Samuel fears that, as they move forward to build a kingdom, they will forget their ultimate Leader. Then he stops where he began, “Now therefore stand still and see …” See what? What will they see in this harvest season at the end of June when it never rains and the sky is clear and cloudless?
Suddenly there is thunder and rain and the people are afraid. They were not meant to have a king other than the Lord Himself, and yet they demanded to have one. Is this thunder and rain the sign of the Lord’s anger? Will He destroy them because of it?
Only those truly afraid will understand the comfort of Samuel’s response: “The Lord will not cast away his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for Himself.”
A people for Himself? The thunder and rain are not signs of His disfavor, but of His bond to them. What Samuel says is true and the heavens rumble because of it. It is the divine exclamation point to Samuel’s story.
Do not forget the Lord, Samuel says.
Do not forget me, the heavens thunder.
“Fear the Lord, and serve him faithfully with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you,” Samuel’s farewell finishes. From beginning to end he cares about the people — the Lord’s people — and he hopes they will remember who their true Leader is — even when they have a king.
Sometimes we are in a crowd of people looking for a leader. At other times, we are leaders, calling people back to the Lord. But today …
Stand still. Listen. Shhhh. Hear the thunder and rain.
Do not forget me, the heavens thunder. You are my people.
—Carla Gober-Park, PhD, MS, MPH, RN, is assistant vice president for Spiritual Life and Mission at Loma Linda University Health, as well as director of the Center for Spiritual Life and Wholeness.
