Hush! Hush! Somebody's Calling Your Name
"Hush, Hush, Somebody's Callin' My Name" is a traditional African-American spiritual from the era of slavery that expresses deep religious hope and a yearning for freedom… Like many Negro spirituals, it functioned on multiple levels, blending a personal call from God or Jesus with underground messages regarding escape and freedom as well as an affirmation of human dignity because God knew their name even when others dismissed it, ignored it or did not care to call it.
I am so grateful that the Lord knows my name, my whole name and has called it over and over throughout my life. I do not think the Lord has a nickname for me. I believe that when the Lord first called my name, the Lord loved me enough to place my given name on my parents heart and on the day I was born, they gave me my name.
My parents called my name. And at some point along my journey, I began to recognize when the Lord was calling my name. What an amazing grace it is to be called by the Creator. I anticipate that my name and your name will continue to be called until that day when our name will be called for the final time in that great getting up morning.
Until that morning, I yearn for the Lord to call my name. I yearn for the closeness and even the correction, I yearn for the comfort and the instruction so that I know how to move or be still.
One word of wisdom that I hope that we would all embrace is from 1 Thessalonians 4:10A – Aim to live quietly or Study to be quiet, depending on the version/translation… When we apply this word of wisdom, we can hear the one who continues to call each of us.
When we aim to be quiet, we can know Peace. The kind of peace that surpasses understanding. The kind of peace that is not anxious about anything. The kind of peace that allows us to be still and know that God is God.
When we aim to be quiet, we can engage in the processing of all of the thoughts in our minds. We can think. Dream. Connect the dots. Straighten out the knots. Make sense of all the things or at least one of the things.
When we aim to be quiet, we can attend to our pace. We can reset our rhythms. We can slow it down or pick it up if necessary. We can focus on our own lane and the race that is set before us.
When we aim to be quiet, we can manifest productivity. We can see assignments through to completion. We can finish our task lists or delegate when that is most helpful.
When we aim to be quiet, we can hear the Lord calling our name and then we can ask – Oh my Lord, Oh my Lord, what shall I do?
Friends, when is the last time you heard the Lord call your name? When is the last time you felt that gentle nudge in the Spirit calling for you to come to commune, rest, listen, hear, to enjoy His presence… alone? When is the last time you sensed an urgency when the Lord was calling your name because you needed to be warned, stopped, or redirected?
When is the last time you chose to Hush, Hush because the Lord was calling your name?
Do not let the only time you hush be in crisis or before you take your first bite or in communal worship or just before a meeting you really wish you could miss…
If it has been a while, hush, hush the Lord is still calling your name
And if you have a set time to meet with the Lord, hush, hush the Lord is still calling your name
So, aim to be quiet. For your Peace, for your Processing, for your Pace, and for your Productivity… the Lord is still calling your name. And that is Good News!
