“Here I Am, Lord” (ELW 574)
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Devotion
When God called the prophets Samuel and Isaiah, they each responded “Here I am, Lord.” But when God called Moses, his initial response was “But why me?” (Exodus 3:11, MSG). As a senior citizen called into a third career, from prince to sheep farmer to political activist, Moses’ question “Why me?’ seems understandable. Yet God had been preparing Moses over many decades to protest Pharaoh’s oppression and lead the Hebrew slaves out of Egypt.
Seminary graduation initiated my fourth career and a variety of pastoral calls. Whenever, in the words of this hymn, “I have heard you calling,” my reaction has been “Is it I, Lord?” or, more realistically, “Me, Lord? Really? Are you sure?” Even though I am now retired from a clergy payroll, I continue yet to live into the questions with great amazement: Who’s crying, God? What’s the need, Lord? Trusting in your help, Lord!
Prayer
O Lord, whatever our age and level of incredulity, keep opening our hearts to your next call. Amen.