"I'm Here!"

“I’m here!” “So am I!” Well, then let’s get started!”

Have you ever had such a conversation? Was your presence and the presence of another enough to get started with what needed to be done? When we hear the expression “Here I am”, does it seem to imply a willingness to be acknowledged and perhaps even be put to work? Are we encouraged when we hear it? How often are we willing to step forth into that willingness ourselves?

Such an expression has struck me to be quite interesting near the beginning and the end of the book of Isaiah because of the ones speaking in both cases. Isaiah was called to be a prophet of God. He was keenly aware of his own failings and the sinfulness of the people among whom he lived. ( Isaiah 6:5) Still, God chose Isaiah to be His messenger. How did Isaiah respond?

We read…
“And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘HERE AM I! SEND ME.’” ( Isaiah 6:8 ESV)

How pleased God must be with such readiness. Accepting the call, Isaiah’s “HERE AM I” was a willingness to report for duty. God needed a messenger and Isaiah was willing to say, (to put it in our own phrasing) “I’m here! Send me!”

In the second to the last chapter of Isaiah we read a similar statement, but attributed to another. We read…

“I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, ‘HERE AM I, HERE AM I,’ to a nation that was not called by my name.” ( Isaiah 65:1 ESV)

This was God speaking. He had a readiness to say to a people “HERE AM I, HERE AM I!” How sad that the next verse describes a people who were not ready to say, “Here am I” and follow God. Are we? Are we responding to God’s “HERE AM I” with our own “HERE AM I”?

We live in the presence of God. He encourages us that He is fully aware of what is going on in our life. He is also eager to use us as messengers of the truth! We are not in this work alone. Imagine our “HERE AM I” being met by God’s “HERE AM I”; a drawing together into a wonderful union and grand work on behalf of the souls of mankind.

God exists and His “HERE AM I” is an open invitation for all to acknowledge Him and respond appropriately. As God reaches out to us, let us reach back toward Him with a willingness to report as being present for the duties of the day to His glory and praise.

Have a great day PRESENT AND ACCOUNTED FOR IN GOD’S SERVICE!
Carl

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