And the Lord Spoke

And the Lord came and stood: and he called as he had the other times: Samuel, Samuel. And Samuel said: Speak, Lord, for thy servant is listening.    Samuel 3: 10

I was startled from a deep sleep by a voice demanding I read Psalm 120. I sat up and looked around. My husband was asleep and no one else was in the room. It had to be a dream. I snuggled back under the covers.

The voice repeated the command, louder and more insistent. I still refused to believe I was hearing a voice. I rolled over and squeezed my eyes shut. The voice again told me to read Psalm 120 and this time the words also flashed in bright neon-yellow against my closed eye lids.

"Alright, already!" I threw the covers off and stomped into the other room where I kept my bible. Like Samuel, I finally understood what was happening, but unlike Samuel, I wasn't pleased.  How would I explain this to anyone? Hearing voices? Yeah, right. But, I obeyed.

I plopped into my chair, picked up my bible and read the Psalm. I had absolutely no idea why I was told to read it. It made no sense to me at all. 

The Lord answered me when I called in my distress: Lord, deliver me from lying lips, from treacherous tongues.

What will the Lord inflict on you, O treacherous tongue, and what more besides?


A warrior’s sharpened arrows and fiery coals of brushwood!


Alas, I was an alien in Meschech, I lived near the tents of Kedar!


Too long did I live among those who hated peace.


When I spoke of peace, they were for war.


I mulled it over on the way to work and then, against my better judgment, I shared the story with my co-worker and friend. Teri stared at me as if I were already wearing the straight jacket.

Her silence and perceived judgement were irritating. “Well?!”

“You just gave me chills. That scripture describes what Cindy* has been doing behind your back. She almost had me convinced and I think our boss believes her. ”

“Believes what?”

“She’s been trying to get you fired. She has been telling him how unprofessional you are, that you have been making the patients angry, and that your personal life is interfering to the point you are having an emotional break down. Remember the other day when our boss found you crying in the lab?”

I felt sick to my stomach. “Yes. She had just told me I had blown the rush job and that Gary was really angry with me. He was coming in to fire me.”

"See, Gary didn't know that. And, she told me you weren't coming to my birthday party because you didn't really want to be my friend. You were just being nice."

I shook my head. "And then she came into the lab and told me since my husband had to work that day and I would have to come alone, everyone would understand if I preferred to stay home."

“She almost pulled it off. Had you not told me about the Psalm...”

I grimaced.

“Now that I see what she has been doing, I think she’s jealous. Everyone respects you, professionally and personally. She wanted to bring you down anyway she could. We need to tell Gary.”

Although our boss refused to confront Cindy, she resigned her position several days later and left without the customary two week notice.

God had my back, even when I didn't know it.