The Voice of the Lord .
Isaiah 6:8

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!”

I was pretty sure I had recently included verse 8 in one of my devotions. In fact, “Here am I” was the title of one of them. I have shared since I’ve resumed my morning posts that I have been waiting and wondering what God has in store for me. I’m rather pleased with myself that I haven’t immediately filled up my calendar with activities to fill the time. I have tried to be intentional, pray and wait for God to reveal and affirm His desire for me and for my life.

That is very out of character for me! I have been impatient and even impetuous in the past. I’ve been investigating various organizations and considering numerous opportunities to serve, but I am waiting . . . and praying . . . and giving the decisions to God. In the past I have incorrectly interpreted verse 8 to mean that I had to be the one who did it all! Save the world single-handedly! I believed I could because I was on the side of God.

What so often happens though when we fill our lives and spend our time on so many activities is that we don’t do a “check-in” to be sure we’re in line with God’s desire and plan. When I pause to allow God to affirm me and what I’m doing, I allow Him to be in charge. Over the past year or so I have stepped back from leadership positions in church and in my community. I felt I needed a break to rest in God and to evaluate where I was in my faith and in my faith journey. It has been very instructive. The earth has actually continued to spin on it’s axis without my micromanagement!

I received a call a couple of weeks ago from a woman who asked me to participate in an activity that I had been interested in for a long time. Since my calendar wasn’t full of “very important” activities, I was able to join a group of people on Saturday to protest gun sales without background checks. Now don’t stop reading! It’s not about gun ownership—it’s about sensible gun laws. Anyway, that’s not the point! The point is I was available. Then on Sunday I composed a poem about gun violence—it came unbidden throughout the day. It came from that creative, compassionate center of my soul that I do not control, but rather obey.

That’s how I know I’m in line with God’s will for me – He takes over and uses my gifts and my abilities to advance His Word, to do His bidding, to add my voice to the noise, to the grinding din that can overpower the still small voice within. Yes, God wants us to step up and be the one who goes for Him. First, though, He wants us to know what we are to do, and how, and when and where!

My prayer today is that you find a quiet place to spend time listening for the voice of the Lord. And that you declare, “Here am I,” when you discover what you are to do, and where, and how, and when.

Mary

Labels: activities, faith, faith journey, God's will, prayer

  ¶ 6:09 AM