April 7, 2007
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Yesterday, marked the first Good Friday service
held at the new CCC building. Thanks be
to God for those who labored and served God in preparing the church, the food
and service elements. It allowed an
evening of reflective meditation on Christ’s sacrifice and the hope that He’s
given us. It was during this meditation
that I kept on thinking about the phrase “Here I am.”I’ll honestly say I’m not that great at
remembering scripture or actual specifics of who, what or when but more so the
general idea and meanings of various passages.
That’s why I was a bit perplexed at remembering the specifics of the
story of a young Samuel (1 Samuel 3).Here I am.
Why was this phrase being replayed in my
head? Here I am. Was I saying it as a frightened child who
knows he’s done wrong in the eyes of his father and is trying to avoid
punishment? Here I am. Or was it like an attentive soldier sounding
off to his superior, ready to do the will and command of the one above
him? Here I am. Maybe it was in sheepish response to
something I was asked to do but it wasn’t done or was done in a halfhearted
fashion. Here I am. Or just maybe it wasn’t me saying it but it
was God responding to one lost in the darkness of this world, reaching
out and comforting those who seek Him? Here
I am.Like Samuel, I realized that this
was the proper response I needed to make: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” For all my faults, sins and failures You have given me hope, strength, grace, joy and love – here I am Lord, your servant is
listening and willing.
