Here I Am

     Yesterday we said, “Here I Am!” to God and He replied, “Here I Am!” right back. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, He asks us to obey and follow His lead in some unexpected ways. He grabs us out of our comfort zones, guides us out of our self-focused ways and steps us unto uncharted territory.

     God scans the earth with eyes moving to and fro, seeking those of us willing to take a chance. Is He asking you? Will you answer like Isaiah?

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I, Send me!”  Isaiah 6:8

     Abraham’s unfailing obedience to God included moving his family to a strange land, trusting God to give him and his wife, Sarah, a baby long after their child-bearing days were done, even agreeing to sacrifice that very son, knowing God would step in to save.  Is God asking you to trust?

Some time later, God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.  Genesis 22:1

     Jacob was confused and filled with doubt. He needed some straight answers. He wrestled with God and was left with an injury. Sometimes our wounds stay with us as a reminder of our weakness, and of God’s strength, a reminder to rely on Him. Is He calling out to you in the night?

And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!” “Here I am,” he replied.  Genesis 46:2

     Have you encountered God in an unusual way? Do you have a story to tell others? Moses sure did. After forty years in the desert God was finally calling him to lead his people out of Egypt into the promised land. God spoke to him from a burning bush.

When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”

     The obedient are few in number. What will you say to his call? Will you respond to his request in the night? Would you move into strange and uncomfortable territory? When His strength is all you have left will you still trust Him? Will you continue to live for Him?  Caleb did.

     Caleb and Joshua were the only two original Israelites to go into the promised land. Two? They began with over two million!  Two million have dwindled to two, because of the nation’s disobedience. Moses was close enough to see the promised land, but the soles of his sandals never touched it. Caleb’s did. Caleb stayed true to God over a long life. Here is his testimony.

“Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out. I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then.” Joshua 14:10-11

     In another verse the Bible tells us Caleb followed God, “wholeheartedly.” Here he is full of vim and vigor at eight-five. Let’s follow the example of these strong men of faith, to move, to listen, to wrestle, to battle, to trust, to follow wholeheartedly. You never know, you may see a ladder falling from the sky filled with angels, or hear a voice from a burning bush, see a dream fulfilled after forty-five years or hear a whisper is your ear, “Whom shall I send?”

Dear Lord,

Here we are! Send us! These stories of faith in the midst of fear and doubt and testing, and patient waiting remind us of Your promises. They always come true, every single one of them. Keep us in step with Your Spirit as we move out in obedience until we reach the promised land.

Amen