“Here I am!” Just three little words yet when spoken show an enormous amount of faith. I’m talking about a faith so strong you don’t hesitate. These three words were spoken by various people in the bible… Abraham, Jacob, Moses and possibly more. These were just who I found with a quick search.
Abraham says this in Genesis 22 when God tests his faith. God calls for Abraham who immediately responses, “Here I am.” He doesn’t have a clue what God is about to ask of him. He has no idea that God wants him to take his chosen son (Isaac); the child that he and wife Sarah struggled for years to have, and sacrifice him as burnt offering to God. Think about that for a minute. For years you pray for and struggle to have a child. Then, well into old age God blesses you with a son just as He promised only to later ask you to kill your child as a sacrifice. Abraham’s heart had to have been breaking, shattering into pieces, and yet he obeyed. He takes Isaac into the mountains, builds an altar, ties him up and places him on the pile of wood. With tears streaming down his face (in my opinion) he lifts his knife above his head, trusting with all he has in God’s plan for him. In that moment an angel of the LORD calls to him once again. “Abraham! Abraham!” and again he replies “Here I am!”
Jacob, grandson to Abraham, declares these words to an angel of God in a dream. God was preparing Jacob and his family to return to his home land and family. {Genesis 31:11} And then there is Moses. In the cliff notes version, he left Egypt where he had been raised by the Pharaoh’s daughter, fearing for his life, fled to the country of Midian, married Zipporah, and began working for his father-in-law tending his flock. Exodus 3 sets the scene for how Moses’s life was about to change forever. Moses is minding his own business, taking care of his father-in-law’s flocks. Out of nowhere he comes across a bush that is burning…but yet, it’s not. Imagine standing there, staring at the shrub, turning your head one way and then another only to see flames. For the life of you, you can’t figure out why it hasn’t turned into a pile of ash. As you move forward to get a better look, the voice of God calls your name from within the flames. “Here I am!” Moses answers. That is his first initial response. After hearing what God is calling him to do he starts to backtrack a bit. He begins to hesitate. In Exodus 3:11 he changes his answer to, “Who am I…”. Moses may have started this conversation with confidence that equaled his grandfather, Abraham…but he was quickly realizing he may be getting in over his head.
These three words got me to thinking. If in the middle of my ordinary life…smack dab between washing dishes and folding socks…how would I respond? Would I have an unwavering faith like Abraham? Or would I react as Moses did? Would I break my own heart to obey God or would I tell Him I’m not the person for the job?
I like to pretend that God doesn’t speak to us like that anymore. That just happened in the old testament. But here’s the thing…He does. God speaks to us all the time. He is constantly whispering to our hearts through the Holy Spirit. He quietly directs our steps when we come to a fork in the road, feeling uncertain. He murmurs encouragement to our hearts when He sees us suffering through life’s many storms. And He tells us over and over again how much He loves us when we feel the least loveable. He pushes us to step out in our faith and asks us to be His hands and feet in this world. The problem isn’t that God doesn’t speak to us anymore. The problem is we don’t listen.
There is a song called Do Something by Matthew West. The lyrics speak about stepping out and doing God’s work in our everyday lives. That will look different for everyone and no act performed for God’s glory is ever too small. Maybe it’s shoveling your neighbor’s sidewalk or deliver a meal to brand new parents. Maybe it’s starting a new business or moving to a new city. Or maybe it’s as simple as praying for someone who you know is going through a hard time. Following God’s call on your heart isn’t supposed to be so difficult it shoves you away from Him. It may stretch you, make you uncomfortable, even push you out of your comfort zone and that’s okay. It’s okay because He never asks you to do His work without Him. If we can just trust in His plan, in His vision, in Him…oh the mountains we mortals will move. When we have the courage to answer His call saying, “Here I am!” God will respond back with “I am here!” Matthew 14:27 reads, “But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” “
So be courageous. Take that next step in your relationship with Christ. It doesn’t’ matter what your that looks like. Have the guts to say “Here I am!” when you hear His voice. God created us to do amazing things for His glory, but it’s up to us to be willing to listen. God doesn’t expect perfection, just passion. Passion to follow Him even if you hesitate like Moses did. Moses was uncertain and unsure and fairly confident he was unqualified. But that’s not what God seen. God seen a leader who against all odds would rescue a nation. So, even if you don’t have an Abraham-level of trust, trust anyway. Give what you can give and just a little more. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and jump with an unwavering confidence in who will catch you. I promise He will not ask you for more than you can give and every amount of giving will be worth it. God knows what you are capable of and sees the “you” He designed. Matthew West sings, “It’s not enough to do nothing. It’s time for us to do something.” Listen for His call and get in the game. Don’t stand on the sidelines…do something.
“We’re never gonna change the world by standing still.”
Do Something | Matthew West
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