Here I Am: Responding When God Calls Your NameSample

The people of Israel were in distress. They had disobeyed the Lord and failed to heed the warnings of the prophets, removing themselves from His protection. Now, lost and wandering, the temple at Jerusalem in ruins, God’s favored people cried out for help and any sign of His favor, but He was silent.

In an attempt to regain His favor, the people chose to reinstitute religious rituals, like fasting and prayer. When it didn’t make a difference, they couldn’t understand why their good deeds did not result in God’s blessings. Then God told them why. 

In short, Israel touted their morality, but their hearts were far from God. They failed to understand that no religious act done for selfish gain or promotion is considered pure and acceptable to God. 

God was there all along; they just could not see or hear Him moving because the eyes and ears of their hearts were fixed on themselves instead of outward. Their lives were not devoted to Him, nor were their prayers made with a pure heart that was committed to the purposes of God.    

All of this leads us to the great and powerful “Here I am” moment from God. After giving the Israelites an itemized list of what real, godly love would look like in action, God not only promised His people that He would protect them; He promised them Himself: “Then when you pray, God will answer. You will call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am’.”     

That phrase, when uttered by God, can move mountains and make a way in the desert. When the Father expresses those three words, things happen. Our lives and circumstances change. If you are living a life devoted to Him and you call out His name, you can trust that God is there. You can have full confidence that the Father is ready to act on your behalf.  

If you have not quite caught it yet, there is an if tied to His then. He says, If you live for Me and live a life that is generous and pure, then I will be there. It is not an unjust clause; it is simply a natural consequence. If your heart is a “Here I am” heart for Him, then naturally, His heart is to say “Here I am” to you. 

If you already have a heart that desires after the things of God, then that means you can cry out to your Father and know He will be there. He will walk through the valley with you, hold your hand in moments of pain and uncertainty, guide your steps and stand beside you in the darkest seasons of your life. No matter who you are, where you come from or what you are going through, nothing is impossible for you, because nothing is impossible for your Father. You can trust that He is taking care of all the details concerning your life and that, “Here I am,” will be God’s response to your call.

Will “Here I am” be your immediate response to His? God has great plans for you. You were created to be a torchbearer of God’s goodness and faithfulness to mankind. You were created to be a powerful vessel for the Gospel. And He is not done with you yet. Now is your time to embrace your destiny as a “Here I am” kind of believer who will go anywhere for the cause of Christ. Be open to whatever God has in store for you and then step, with Him at your side, into the richness of His glorious plan to use you powerfully in His Kingdom. 

To read Here I Am: Responding When God Calls Your Name, visit www.brittanyrust.com or purchase anywhere books are sold.