Name that Tune

July 28, 2009


The kids and I were in the car, heading out on a day trip to Tuscaloosa. I was flipping through the stations, trying to find something decent to listen to. I stopped on an easy-listening station when I heard the beginning notes of a song from my youth by Michael Jackson.

No words had been sung in the song yet. There was a lengthy musical introduction at the beginning part of the song. We had only heard a couple of "hee hees" and one "whoo chicka," when Emma piped up from the backseat with a question. She asked, "Is this Michael Jackson?" I laughed and confirmed her suspicions.

Since Emma was born in 2000, Michael Jackson was not on any playlist of music that she has ever been subjected to. In fact, until the three-ring circus that was his death and funeral, neither Emma nor Luke had ever heard of Michael Jackson and weren't familiar with his music. In the short few weeks since his death, Emma had already become very aware of Jackson's voice. In her mind, his voice was unmistakable.

I began to ponder how many unmistakable voices I hear every day. I thought of those of my children, my husband, my parents, my friends. I expanded that group to include that of celebrities, musicians, newsmen, and even that movie voice-over guy (RIP). But, out of all these people that I either know, love, never met, respect, and/or dislike, I could pick their voice out of a crowd anytime, anywhere. Can I say the same for the voice of the Creator of the Universe? Do I hear it enough that it is familiar to me? Could I filter out the voice of the One who loves me more than I will ever love anyone else?

It takes a lot of effort to "be still and know that [He] is God" (Psalm 46:10). With the cacaphony of voices surrounding us, like Elijah, we have to listen closely and carefully for that still, small voice that is continually calling out to us. That voice prods us to move forward, to encourage us, to guide us, and to instruct us. All we have to do is listen and be aware of Who is speaking to us.