Like Isaiah, I want to proclaim “here am I Lord, send me!” And yet, there is a price that comes with this declaration. Isaiah first had to have his lips seared – a purging coal to take away the sin from him so that the words he shared as he went would be pure and holy. And then, once he yielded his heart to the calling, he found out the nature of the task. Not an easy one to be sure. Just take a look at Isaiah chapters 1 – 5 to see the state of the Israelite people at that time. And then check out what God asks of Isaiah in chapter 6 starting in verse nine.
We tend to want easy answers. We don’t want to be challenged. Just about everything we do is weighed against our own agenda. The telephone rings and we look to see the name that shows up on the screen. Our responses to that ring can be very different based on the name that we see. We are asked to go to a somewhere with a friend but we check to see if there is anything we would rather do before we make our decision. Someone asks us to the movies and the question is often “what do you feel like seeing?” We have so many choices. And they are all about us. What do I want to do in this moment? The world is at our fingertips. But don’t let that same world inconvenience us with their need. We want to believe that God would not call us out of our comfort zone.
I have been called out of my comfort zone many times in my 50 years of living. I did not always go willingly. Sometimes I did not go at all. For whatever reason, I am at a point in my life where I want to be ready. I want to be willing. I want to be able to go when He calls. Perhaps it is my“mid-life” crisis. But I don’t think so. I have felt the shift in my spirit. I know what it feels like to be a tool in the hand of my Father. I know what it feels like to be in the middle of His plan. I also know what it feels like to live with regret. And it is a combination of ALL of that that makes me not want to miss His plans for my life. A few weeks ago I wrote about my restlessness. That same theme is still there. God – here am I.
I have intentionally prayed this week for opportunities to be salt and light in this world I am in. But it is not just about praying for those opportunities. It is about keeping my eyes open so that I don’t miss what He is doing. Because when we pray – He will move. He has – over and over. I could tell you of four situations this week that were the direct result of those prayers. I try not to be amazed when that happens because He is just answering my prayers. But in the moment it can be overwhelming. I hope that He is just pleased and not amazed when I do what He asks!
I am going to share with you the lyric that I wrote this week. I’m not sure it is finished. I AM sure that I am not. I am on the edge of my seat with my ticket in hand. I have things to do. There are places that I need that coal of purification to touch. But I am willing. So this is my heart’s cry.
I would love to hear where God is moving in your life. I would love to know how/if this resonates in your spirit as well. (You can click on Add Comment below or use the Subscribe tab above to email me.)
Yet Untitled....
I refuse to end this day as it started
I will not let nothing change again
I believe I’ll be a better servant
If I let You, Jesus altar who I am
I refuse to miss Your voice in the chaos
I won’t do another useless task
Cause if I hear Your meaning in the mundane
Then I know I will hear You when you pass
Please don’t pass me by
Please don’t go without me, my God
Please don’t pass me by
I’m waiting here for You
I refuse to sit here in this silence
Unless that’s what You need for me to do
Cause quiet isn’t peace when I am restless
I’m pulling at the reins to be of use
Please don’t pass me by
Please don’t go without me, my God
Please don’t pass me by
I’m waiting here for You
© October 22, 2012