Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Isaiah - 6
The first time remember singing "Here I Am Lord" it was at my church in Philly, St. Michael's. Vivian Anderson was singing the verses and the congregation responding with the refrain. Vivian is a blind, African American women with a beautiful soprano voice. Her seeing-eye dog would walk with her up to the lectern for her solo. Listening to her sing the words "I the Lord of Sea and Sky.." moves me even today.
The Word of God may not come to us in the form we expect. And sometimes we are the vessel for it. We need to see so that we see and hear so that we hear and sometimes just be open to being moved. Is it I Lord?
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Overheard while my kids played with blocks this morning...
ReplyDelete"This is like our church. They help the homeless."
"We need to build Bob a house."
"Why?"
"Because he doesn't have one yet."
And a little child will lead them.
We, as a community, need to "turn around and be made whole". If not, we will experience the consequences. If so, we will experience joy beyond reason.
Caught between worlds....between the "Here I am! Send me!" - knowing God's glory and trusting God's plan....
ReplyDeleteBetween that and the "For how long, Lord?" - heart aching at the pain of those we love.
The life of the prophet, and the life of the church, constantly caught between. And the words we have to proclaim are not always the easy words of God's mercy. They are words of accountability to God and each other, of challenge, of repentance.
To simply cry out "How long, O God?" is easier.
When Laura and I were married at Faith Lutheran Church in 1983 we chose for our recessional song "Sent Forth by God's Blessing" by Omer Westendorf, sung to us by our family and friends as we left the church to begin our lives together. The words of this song became for me my marching orders, a tangible mission for my entire life. "The seed of Christ's teaching, receptive souls reaching, shall blossom in action for God and for all. Your grace shall incite us, your love shall unite us to work for your kingdom and answer your call." I still today have trouble getting through the song when it is played in church on a Sunday morning, the call to action rings clear still.
ReplyDeleteWhen I pray, "Here I am Lord, send me." this song plays again in my mind and reminds me that God had centered me on the path of my life journey when he led me to Camp Calumet in New Hampshire, surrounded me with a loving Christian community and brought Laura into my life. Praise God!
God today is constantly answering our prayers, leaving us signs and messages about what he wants us to be doing for Him in His kingdom. We simply need to trust and believe in Him and answer His call, be open and do the work placed in front of us and love those He gives to us to care for.
Sometimes when you pray, "Here I am, send me!", God simply asks that you take a single step outside your comfort zone and answer His call.