‘Here I am, Lord’

When God first spoke to him out of the burning bush, Moses’ simple reply was ‘Here I am’ (Exodus 3:4). In Hebrew the word is[hineini]. It is with the same word that a young Samuel responded when he thought that Eli, rather than God was calling him in the night; (1) it is the response of Isaiah when God asked who would go with his message. (2)

It is a simple word, but such a small basket carries some very weighty stones! Because when these prophets responded to God’s voice, they weren’t just saying where they were. They were saying ‘I am available.’

The consequences of that simple, open prayer of availability were considerable – for Moses it meant leading Israel out of slavery to Sinai to receive The Law and on to the borders of the Promised Land; for Samuel, it led to him being the leader and kingmaker who chose the king who would be the ancestor of Jesus; and for Isaiah, it meant taking the message of God to the kings of Israel at great personal peril and prophesying the coming of the Messiah.

When we say ‘Here I am’ to God, are we ready for him to take us to where he wants us? Are we ready to make ourselves unconditionally available to him? It’s a scary prayer, but it is one that opens the door to God doing mighty things in us and through us.

Hineini – ‘I am here and ready for you, my Lord’.