No sooner than Samuel, the renown prophet of God, was weaned, his mother Hannah brought him to the house of the LORD. She surrendered the young boy to Eli the high priest saying, "I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD" (1 Samuel 1:27-28).

Samuel's parents returned home, but "the boy ministered before the LORD under Eli the priest." Using language almost identical to that used later to describe Jesus' own development, scripture says: "And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with people" (1 Samuel 2:26; cf. Luke 2:52).

One night, young Samuel was bunked in the tabernacle near to the ark of God. There in the darkness--for the first time--the Lord called Samuel's name. Three times Samuel heard his name; three times he awoke the slumbering Eli and declared, "Here, I am." Each time, a frustrated and groggy Eli sent Samuel back to bed, saying, "I didn't call for you. Go back to bed!" Finally, after the third time, Eli understood that the Lord was calling the boy. He instructed Samuel: "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.'"

Both Hannah's initial dedication of her child--"For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord"--and her son Samuel's subsequent invitation to the Lord--"Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening"--have become models of submission. 

Dedication. Invitation.

But, you'll notice, no defined, limiting purpose.

Simply open and available.

Mightn't it be possible that we've attached our culture of the maverick individualist to the life of a Christ-follower? Contemplate at least a few of the following inquiries, taking time out for meals, of course...

Scripture speaks of desire and giftedness and opportunity; but how often, and perhaps only then as the exception, does scripture speak of an individual's defining purpose?

How might a desire for an express statement of purpose...reflect our culture of the iconic individualist rather than the New Testament's culture of community?...reflect a desire to live by sight and not by faith?...reflect a desire to dedicate ourselves, not to the Lord, but, well, to ourselves?...reflect our culture's attachment to outcomes?...reflect a life that is more about "doing" rather than "being and doing"?

What would it look like to identify our desire and giftedness,  

but remain open to opportunity--any opportunity unfiltered by  

restricting purpose?

How might such openness...invite us to participate in God's expansive imagination?...invite us to be more present and patient in our relationships?

What would it look like if our incessant prayer became, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening"?

Here are a couple of intriguing inquiries for extra credit...What does a tattoo have in common with a defining purpose?...Is it possible to resist a defining purpose, but to still craft a vision and goals?