The Voice Of God

This is a little two person readers theatre we used as an opener for a talk I gave in high school chapel last December. I'd like to rework it; there are a few lines that still sound strange.

The Voice of God
Luke 2:25-38
Anna (A)
Simeon (S)
Both (B)


S For as long as I can remember,

A when I closed my eyes at night,

B I could hear his voice.

A It’s not audible like the one Abraham heard.

S Bushes don’t catch fire, like in Moses’ day.

A But I can still hear his voice. I can hear the echo of a promise that he gave to Adam and Noah and Abraham and Moses. A promise that someday

B redemption will come.

S I can hear his voice as it calmly objects to doubting Sarah. And as it refuses to be silenced by the faithlessness of his chosen ones.

A I hear his voice as it storms from the mouths of the prophets. As they shout of Bethlehem, and a virgin conceiving, and a Prince of Peace.

S I can hear his voice as he vows that someday

B redemption will come.

A I can hear his voice as it rises up to meet the rebellion of ungrateful children. And I can hear his voice as it cries for the blood of his people, spilt by the hand of the enemy.

S He speaks of wrath. He speaks of sacrifice and obedience. He speaks of grace and forgiveness. He speaks of scarlet sins and snowy white hearts. He speaks of rebellion and judgment. But most of all,

B he speaks of redemption.

A And until this morning,

S I could close my eyes,

B gather my faith together,

S and I could hear his voice.

A But I don’t have to imagine anymore.

B I have gone to the temple to worship for as long as I can remember,

A and for as long as I can remember Jehovah God has held me in his arms with a centuries old promise of redemption.

S And today,

B I heard his voice.

A The voice of God.

S He was there in the temple

A as simple

S and as holy

B and as beautiful as possible.

S And his parents, wide-eyed, clutching tightly to the promise of the ages.

A Just as I, for so long, had clutched tightly to the promise of the ages.

S And I actually heard his voice.

A The silence of God was shattered like the darkness of the Bethlehem sky.

S I heard the redemption of a fallen world,

B and the hope of a world to come,

A as it trickled gently out of an infant’s tiny lips.

S My name is Simeon

A My name is Anna.

S And today,

B I heard the voice of God.