Another week, another opportunity to join my friend, Karen Beth, for Tuesday @ Ten! Karen has worked hard to bring some exciting things to T@T this year; so join us!
This week's prompt is: Here
Well, here I sit...in front of my computer; trying to figure out just what I want to write...using this prompt, "Here".
The first thing that actually came to me was the story of Samuel as a boy, living with a priest named Eli.
Here is a portion of Samuel's response after hearing God calling - yet he did not know at first it was God:
"Samuel answered, 'Yes? I'm here.' Then he ran to Eli saying, 'I heard you call. Here I am.' "
Twice Eli sent Samuel back to bed; the third time God called to Samuel:
"Yet again Samuel got up and went to Eli. 'Yes? I heard you call me. Here I am.'
"That's when it dawned on Eli that God was calling the boy. So Eli directed Samuel, 'Go back and lie down. If the voice calls again, say, Speak, God. I'm your servant, ready to listen. Samuel returned to his bed.
"Then God came and stood before him exactly as before, calling out, 'Samuel! Samuel!'
"Samuel answered, 'Speak, I'm your servant, ready to listen.' " (portions of 1 Samuel 3:1-10 from The Message).
Well, I can't say that I have "heard" God calling me; but I have felt "the call"...
You know, the certainty that you were meant to do something?!
Like, when I was asked to lead our Christian Women's Fellowship, taking the position behind someone I looked up to, and had been the leader for many years! I wasn't quite sure I could do it! And, following in her footsteps?
But, I said "YES", and went on to do a great job (at least that is what they told me!!)...and to this day, I have been very active in this group, though at a different church.
I responded to the call, just as Samuel did when he answered, "Here I am!"
There have been other "calls" that I've responded to; other situations that I felt God was leading me in a certain direction.
Not always ready to answer "YES", and not always sure if it was God's call, sometimes I drag my feet, not wanting to commit to the "call". Am I really hearing God, or am I just trying to make a decision...on my own?
One of my favorite hymns is "Here I am, Lord":
One of my favorite hymns is "Here I am, Lord":
I have heard you calling
in the night.
I will go, Lord,
if you lead me,
I will hold Your people in my heart."
I don't think God has anything really major for me to do; yet, if He calls to me, I pray I can answer Him just as Samuel did...
"Here I am, Lord...send me!"
How about you? Have you answered His call? Have you "heard Him calling in the night"?
Share your experiences in the comments...if you wish!
I love the story of Samuel and Eli. I also wrote about God calling me in to obedience and trust. I think He is working in His people to hear and obey His call. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading and commenting, Jackie! I haven't taken the chance to read yet...trying to catch up on some journaling!!
DeleteThat is one of my favorite hymns as well. I hope to be able to say Yes when I am called, but sometimes I find myself hoping to not be asked, lol. But I know that if He chooses me, He will guide me through it.
ReplyDeleteSometimes we are just too over-whelmed with "things" that we are doing, whether we choose to do them, or feel God is calling us to do them, or whatever! And, then we are asked to "do" something...it is hard to say YES when we feel over-whelmed. And when we are not sure where the prompting is coming from!
DeleteThanks for reading and commenting!
What a great story to highlight our need to be ready to respond when God calls us. I especially like that God called more than once as it took Samuel a bit to recognize the voice.
ReplyDeleteYes, we are so much like Samuel in recognizing God's voice; or even being in a place where we may not even "hear" at all!! Is it MY inner voice, prompting me to "do" something; or is it really God's...so hard!
DeleteThanks for reading and commenting!