Here Am I Send Me

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!"

There are times when the Lord’s voice is clear and present. Mainly, we hear him when we’re not talking. The noise in our own heads is usually at such a din, either formulating outward communication to others or inner commands or reminders to ourselves, that God gets drowned out in the cacophony.

When God speaks to you what do you do? Do you ignore it, set it aside for a better time, or pretend it’s for someone else? Or, do you perk up to better understand what is being commanded, and then go smartly to do what God has directed?

That is the most important question.

It’s one thing to not hear God’s voice because you’re too busy and too noisy in your own life. That’s a shame and certainly a loss. Some might consider it to be a failure of the highest order. But, in the disobedience scale it is far down the list from ignoring a direct, heard, order. When you get an order from God you best be about doing it, not looking the other way hoping that no one noticed.

When God walked in the cool of the morning in the Garden of Eden and he called out to Adam, Adam responded that he was naked. That was his way of fessing up to his disobedience and also an excuse.

Do you think that God doesn’t know that you’re naked? Do you think he doesn’t completely understand your capabilities and disabilities, your limitations and strengths? He knows you far better than you know yourself. And, his voice is clear. When he calls out asking, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” the all-knowing God is completely sure that you hear him. And when you hear him, know that his call is to you.

Added 1/16/08 - Rick Warren talked with the pastoral staff yesterday about 2 Chronicles 16:9. “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” In Rick’s version of the Bible it said “perfect hearts.” No one can have a perfect heart but each heart can be made perfect by keeping short accounts with God through repentance and resolve to not do what is being tempted of us. Having a heart that is fully committed to God, one that has been made perfect through repentance, means we are in a condition where God’s voice can be heard. If Christ is at the center of our heart then the blood that flows to our hands and feet and mind will not be corrupted by the flesh, but instead be the cleansed as though it is the blood of Christ. Do I want my corrupted blood of the flesh feeding what my hands and feet will do? Do I want it feeding my mind and what it will think? Or do I want the completely sanctified blood of Christ to come beating from my heart, directing and feeding everything I do? My heart is not perfect, but it can be made perfect through Christ who lives in me. It is then my duty and service to continually yield my heart to his will, and to align my heart to his.

Then, when the voice of the Lord comes, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” I will hear it, know my master’s voice, and respond, “Here am I, send me.”