God Calls Us in the Womb
In today’s Old Testament reading, we have God’s calling of the Prophet Samuel:
At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. The Lord called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
Samuel was a small boy who did not understand God was speaking to him. Before his birth, his mother had dedicated her child to God if he would give her a son. God accepted her plea, thus he had plans for Samuel to serve him. God knew that he would use Samuel as the last judge of Israel, and as his first prophet.
Samuel was born to serve God. Was this unique for Samuel? Not so. Let us look at this psalm of King David:
Lord, you have searched me out and known me;
you know my sitting down and my rising up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.You trace my journeys and my resting places
and are acquainted with all my ways.Indeed, there is not a word on my lips,
but you, O Lord, know it altogether.You press upon me behind and before
and lay your hand upon me.Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is so high that I cannot attain to it.For you yourself created my inmost parts;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.I will thank you because I am marvelously made;
your works are wonderful, and I know it well.My body was not hidden from you,
while I was being made in secret
and woven in the depths of the earth.Your eyes beheld my limbs, yet unfinished in the womb;
all of them were written in your book;
they were fashioned day by day,
when as yet there was none of them. (Psalm 139:1-5, 12-15)
This psalm tells us that God had a plan for David while he was still in his mother’s womb.
Let us examine God’s call of the Prophet Isaiah:
Listen to me, O coastlands,
pay attention, you peoples from far away!
The Lord called me before I was born,
while I was in my mother’s womb he named me.
He made my mouth like a sharp sword,
in the shadow of his hand, he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow,
in his quiver, he hid me away.
Were Samuel, David, and Isaiah exceptional cases? It may appear so.
Jesus called his disciples when they were grown men. Let us look at the calling of Nathanael:
Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
Jesus saw Nathanael under the fig tree. But he saw more than that. He knew the character of Nathanael. When did Jesus know this? God, the Father, formed Nathanael in his mother’s womb. Jesus was in touch with His Father and was aware of God’s plan for Nathanael’s life.
People will debate whether a person is alive in the womb or later. From God’s perspective, life begins before the womb.
Not many of us are called to be prophets of God or one of his apostles. Yet God has a plan and purpose for our lives. He knows who he formed us to be. He knows our talents, our strengths, and our weaknesses. If we listen to his inner voice we will become the person he wants us to be. Other voices will try to distract us. We must not let them steal our joy.
The Apostle Paul wrote:
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn amoung many brothers and sisters. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:29-30)
God has called us to a glorified life in Christ. Our life is more than what we do. It is about who we become. Today, Jesus is still calling his disciples. God has justified us through the blood of his Son. Let us believe and conform to the likeness of his Son. God has destined us to the glory of the Kingdom of God.
Track 1: The Miracle of Birth
Track 2: A Priestly Kingdom and Holy Nation
Preaching the Lectionary 