Five Minute Friday: Here

I remember participating in roll call every day in grade school.  The bell would ring and we would scramble to our desks.  The teacher would take out the record book and began to call down the list of my classmates.  I kind of enjoyed waiting for my name to be called and having a chance to say, “Here!”  Inevitably at some point, a wisecracker in the back of the room would respond with “Not Here!” which always earned him a few giggles.  The teacher never looked amused.

Today’s word brought two men in Scripture to mind -- Samuel and Isaiah.  When Samuel was young, the Lord called his name and he responded with “Here I am,” and ran to Eli.  Eli instructed him to say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”  Not only did Samuel learn to recognize the Lord’s voice, he listened to it.  In Isaiah, the Lord asks, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” and Isaiah responds, “Here am I.  Send me!”  Isaiah was ready and willing to serve.

I looked up those two passages before I began today’s five minutes because I wanted to make sure I was quoting Scripture accurately.  In I Samuel 3:19 it says, “Thus Samuel grew and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fail.”  What an encouragement to be reminded today that when I respond “Here!” to the Lord with a  ready and willing heart, my faith will grow and He will be here with me!