04/17/2025
When God calls us He usually does this suddenly, and typically without any preannouncement. Will we be ready to answer Him at a moment's notice, or will we need to prepare ourselves and make life adjustments before answering His call? Will we instantly reply, "Here I am!" when He calls, or will we need to think about it? I find it interesting that most of the great prophets and leaders in the Bible answered instantly when God called them. In most cases there was no hesitation and no consideration as to why they were being called. There might have been some trepidation and uncertainty like there was in the case of Moses when he felt his ability to speak would be an encumbrance, but for the most part there was an instant positive response.
“When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."”
Exodus 3:4 ESV
When I was young my mother would go to the door, push open the screen, and shout my name. Most of the time I would yell back "Coming Mom!" And take off running for the house, but on occasion I would be in the middle of playing a game and pretend I didn't hear her. I would make her call me several times, or respond "In a minute, Mom!" Sometimes I had an idea regarding what she was calling me for and if it wasn't something I wanted to do I would drag my feet on those occasions... answering slowly and sometimes taking a circuitous route home.
So when God calls us, will we be like the bible prophets and respond immediately, or like I was as a young boy, picking and choosing when we will answer and what route we will take?
Moses was ready to answer God. When God saw that he turned aside to get a closer look at the burning bush, He called out to him... and Moses answered straight way. Then, after God told him what He had for him to do, Moses didn't say no or ask for something else to do, he simply felt that the task was beyond his ability, and answered "who am I that I should go?"
“But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?"”
Exodus 3:11 ESV
“Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.”
Numbers 12:3 ESV
God was asking Moses to do something great, and yet Moses felt it was beyond his humble ability... above his station in life. There are many who have a high regard for themselves and would have jumped at a chance like this, but not Moses... He felt this was beyond his ability, and he was right, but we are never expected to do God’s will without His help.
So, Moses was right, this really was too much for him to do. He knew his limitations just as we will know ours when God calls us to do a thing that is greater than ourselves, but God already knows us and He will give us aid. In the case of Moses, He gave Him a staff through which He would perform great miracles, signs to demonstrate he had been called, and when Moses still doubted his speaking ability, God gave him Aaron to be his spokesperson. All of these things God will do for us too when he calls our name... all we must do is say "Here I am!"
In the case of Moses he was a call to greatness; but what if God calls us to perform something beneath us? What if God wants us to do something that in our eyes would demean us, or make us appear less before our peers? Would we be anxious to do something like that? Didn’t this happen to Naaman?
Naaman was a great man and highly favored by His master, but he was a leper. His master valued him so much that when he heard there was a prophet in Israel that could heal him, he sent him with great treasure to the King of Israel and asked that he be healed. You will notice that he wasn't sent directly to the prophet, but to the king! The prophet was socially beneath Naaman.
“And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.”
So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.””
2 Kings 5:5-6 ESV
So Naaman went to the king of Israel who in turn sent him to the prophet Elisha, and Elisha offers to heal him. But... this wouldn't be some grand ceremony; Instead, Elisha didn't even come to the door to speak to Naaman directly. Even though Naaman is standing outside his house, Elisha, who is of lesser social standing, sends a messenger. Let's read:
“And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean." But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, "Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.”
2 Kings 5:10-11 ESV
What God was asking Naaman to do was beneath his station in life, and to make matters worse, this prophet wouldn't even speak directly to him. Insults upon insults for this great man.
“Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage.”
2 Kings 5:12 ESV
But this isn't how the story ends. Naaman's servant reasoned with him (not a king, a court counselor, or some great man) and Naaman humbled himself out of desperation and went to the Jordan River...
“But his servants came near and said to him, "My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, 'Wash, and be clean'?" So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.”
2 Kings 5:13-14 ESV
So how about us? I believe that we have a couple of questions we need to ask ourselves this morning? The first is this… Are we prepared to answer God's call with an immediate "Here I am Lord!" when God tells us of His desire for us? And the second is… Will we go straightway to do His will regardless of what it is?
God humbles the great and makes great the humble. Yet the answers we should give are always the same... "Here I am, Lord!" and “Send me!”. Are these the answers we will immediately give when God calls us to do His will?
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for your callings in my life; some call me to be greater than I am while others teach me that I am less than I suppose. In your Word I learn that the first will be last, and this is a valuable lesson Father. Holy Father, I pray that each time I hear your voice call my name that I will answer quickly with the words "Here I am" and never ignore your call or ask "what is it?" Strengthen me in character Lord and let me be prepared to do the lesser things with the same enthusiasm as the greater. Diminish my pride, and increase my humility, that I might serve you completely and in all things. Let me dip myself in the Jordan just as faithfully as I would face the Pharaoh of Egypt. In your hands I am neither a beggar nor king, but simply your servant. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you my God who is above and below all things at once. Holy are you who dines with kings and paupers alike. Teach me Abba that each of my brothers and sisters in the world are the same in your eyes, and equally worthy of hearing the gospel of Jesus when I am sent out to deliver it. Encourage me Lord and let me see that you are with me as I go about answering your call and doing your will. Strengthen me when I am too weak and humble me when I am too mighty. Make me comfortable when I am your emissary to kings, and a friend to the poor and beggars alike. All are simply lost souls and your children in need of salvation, redemption, and forgiveness… and I am just a universal tool in your hand. Hear me now Lord as I thank you for using me to do your bidding and hear me too as I praise your Holy Name. To you is all the honor and glory for every instance in which you have called me, to which I have answered “Here I am Lord”, “Send me!”, and have obeyed you. Let your hand be upon me always, and your eyes be pleasingly cast upon my heart as you peer into it and call out my name. I am your child, and I pray that in me you see your image… great and small… mighty and humble… always good and made perfect in your grace and your precious Son Jesus Christ.
Amen.
“that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
John 17:21 ESV
Rich Forbes