Lesson 147: "I Heard the Owl Call My Name"

Kentucky Chaplain David Chaltas

In the still of the night, the voice came to me once again. I seemed to recall a familiar ‘air’ about the voice. It was not of this world but of another. The word was simple but profound. “Soon” the voice beckoned, as I gasped for breath and awakened to the reality. My heart pounded with anticipation, as my pulse gyrated in a peaceful fear. I found myself praising God for the gift of life on yet another day of opportunity to serve. It was not yet my time but when I regained my composure, I knew that I was a day closer to the crossing.

There is a delightful book entitled, I Heard the Owl Call My Name. It is based on North Pacific legend that if you hear an owl call your name three times, you will be summoned to the Great Beyond. We call it premonitions. During the War Between the States, it was called presentations. There are so many stories of soldiers giving away their items, for they were keenly aware that the angel of death awaited them on the battlefield. One story in particular was of an officer that predicted where he would find his son’s body prior to his son’s death. At Gettysburg’s famous Wheatfield, Colonel Cross, who always wore a red bandana on his head, place a black one because he knew that he would die upon that soil on his appointed day. Sam Watkins shared with us the death of his friend on Sam’s birthday and how he offered up his own life for Sam. General Jackson told other officers that he would not live through the war. During the last meeting between General Jackson and General Lee, Jackson had leaned his sword against a tree. While discussing the battle plan, the sword fell to the ground and some saw it as a sign of forbidding tidings. General Lee, at his selected time, simply pointed to heaven, with the knowledge of his journey painted on his face, that he was about to ‘strike the tent’ for that last time on earth.

This we know. It is appointed unto us to die except for those that will see the rapture. The Bible says that we do not know the appointed day but each of us have it looming in the future. We know not the hour, we know not the minute, and we know not the second but death cometh as a thief in the night. 

I love to share an old Native American saying that goes, “When you were born, you cried but the world rejoiced. So you must live your life in such a manner that when you die, the world cries but you rejoice.” Will you be rejoicing at that moment or will you be like the rich man in damnation begging, pleading for one drop of water to ease the endless torture for just an icon of a second? If you were called this very minute, where would you find yourself? It is never too late as long as you have breath in your body. Think of it this way, can you buy life insurance after you have died? It must be purchased with a price while you are alive. The blood of the Lamb paid the price of salvation and all you have to do is believe to receive the gift of life eternal. All of your fears, all of your troubles and all of your sorrows can be left at the feet of Christ Jesus. Simply follow God’s simple plan of salvation. For God loved us so much that He offered His Son on a cross to rescue us from sin. Whoso ever shall call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Believe, faith, and a true confession that you are a sinner will remove any doubts and all the sting of death and the grave will be gone. Do you want to disarm death? 1 Corinthians 15:55 says, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory?” When you are one with Christ, you can face that turbid vale with confidence that you will live again in Christ. All fears are taken away, as you embrace that blessed assurance of a new dawn. I remain for but a twinkling of an eye, your obedient servant, The Old General