Voices at Ramah #866

Voices at Ramah In Ramah, under ancient skies, The elders spoke with pleading cries. "A king to lead us, strong and brave, Like nations proud, our souls to save." Samuel heard with heavy heart, The prophet’s role, his sacred part. He knelt beneath the starlit spread, Divine whispers, his daily bread. God’s voice echoed, soft and stern, "It is not you, they spurn." Warn them, prophet, clear and true, Of what their chosen path will do. "A king will reign with iron hand, Will take your sons to war-torn lands. Your daughters, tools for royal schemes, Your harvests fuel for kingly dreams." Yet, still they clamored, blind to fate, "Give us a king to make us great!" Samuel’s words, like seeds on stone, Their hearts, untouched by the tone. In seeking kings like other lands, They turned their backs on divine commands. A king they gained, and with him strife, The price of choosing earthly life. Oh, Israel, what have you done? Replaced your God with a human one? A tale as old as time itself, The quest for power, worldly pelf. Yet in this story, let us find, A mirror to our own confined. May we choose leaders wise and just, In God we trust, in God, not dust. Written by Steven G. Lee (April 11, 2024)