{"id":34413,"date":"2025-01-22T17:52:35","date_gmt":"2025-01-23T00:52:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/gospel-express\/2025-worship-copy\/"},"modified":"2025-01-22T18:56:28","modified_gmt":"2025-01-23T01:56:28","slug":"2025-hineni","status":"publish","type":"portfolio","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/gospel-express\/2025-hineni\/","title":{"rendered":"“Hineni”: Here I am. Send Me!"},"content":{"rendered":"

ONE FOR ISRAEL<\/p>\n

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\nThere is a powerful word in Hebrew that sums up three words in English. The word is Hineni (\u05d4\u05e0\u05e0\u05d9), which means \u201cHere I am!\u201d But you\u2019ve got to watch out how you say it, because it is a way of expressing total readiness to give oneself \u2013 it\u2019s an offer of total availability.<\/p>\n

When God called out to Moses from the burning bush, Moses replied, \u201cHineni!\u201d And you know what assignment he was given, and what happened next. When God approached Abraham to ask him to offer his only son as a sacrifice, Abraham responded, \u201cHineni!\u201d not knowing what God was about to ask. God called out to the young boy Samuel three times before Samuel finally responded, \u201cHineni! I\u2019m listening!\u201d Many hundreds of years later, when God asked who would go for him in Isaiah 6, and the prophet willingly offered himself with a cry of \u201cHineni!\u201d Send me!\u201d<\/p>\n

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It can be used by family members, ready to be fully available and ready to pay attention, or ready to obey instructions. A bit like turning up and reporting for duty. Some translations include a \u201cBehold\u201d in the \u201chere am I\u201d statement, emphasising that they are present and ready for action. It is often children saying it as an expression of readiness to submit to their parents\u2019 requests, although not exclusively.<\/p>\n

It is, of course, the appropriate way to respond to God whenever he calls. His wish should be our command.<\/p>\n

But God often says it of himself, when announcing what he is going to do. Often, they are very gracious acts that cost him dearly. Interestingly, the very first one is bringing the flood \u2013 we cannot imagine how much that must have hurt him to do. But God also says \u201cHineni\u201d when he is announcing a covenant he will make, the brunt of which he would always end up bearing. It appears many times in the prophetic writings, often translated, \u201cBehold, I will\u2026\u201d But it is more like, \u201cBehold! Here I am, doing this thing!\u201d<\/p>\n

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God is our ever-present help, as David reminds us in Psalm 46, and there are multiple times throughout scripture where we read the question, \u201cWhat can I do for you?\u201d As ridiculous as it might seem, God actually makes himself available to us, and has shown that he is ready to pay the highest cost \u2013 even the life of his only Son. He invites us to share our requests and needs with him, and is always listening to our cry. \u201cHineni\u201d \u2013 \u201cHere I am\u201d, the Great I Am stoops to assure us. He hears us, he sees us, he knows our struggle, and he is always there. He is mighty, he is our rescuer, and the dread warrior by our side. He promises to listen to our prayers and to answer, according to his will \u2013 the very best and perfect decision will be made.<\/p>\n

There is a verse buried in the David and Jonathan saga, in which Jonathan promises his beleaguered best friend, \u201cTell me what your soul desires, and I will do it for you\u201d (1 Sam 20:4). It caught my attention, because it is the same kind of devoted readiness as the shout of \u201cHineni!\u201d Sometimes, I believe that the Lord would whisper this in our ear. As breathtaking as that might sound, it happens! God says it to Solomon, and Yeshua says it to people that he met in his earthly ministry sometimes. \u201cWhat would you like me to do for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

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But then, I thought that I wanted to ask the Lord the same question: \u201cWhat is on your heart, Lord? What do you desire? And I will do whatever you ask\u201d. Knowing God, that is a dangerous promise to make. He does ask people to do some pretty wild things. But it\u2019s always totally worth it.<\/p>\n

God has already shown his great willingness, devotion, and availability to us as was perfectly demonstrated on the cross. He is permanently listening to whatever we have to say or ask for, but do we shrink back from unconditionally responding to his call and his requests of us?<\/p>\n

This calls for love. This calls for devotion. Availability, and willingness to sacrifice for the other. God is devoted to us, but will he find unconditional devotion and readiness to pay the cost in us? What if God was to call your name out loud today? Are you ready to offer yourself to his service, not even knowing what it might be? We don\u2019t have to wait until we hear an audible call, we can just report for duty as we come into his presence, and tell him we\u2019re ready to do his will. Ready for action, present and correct.
\nHere I am, Lord! Hineni! Send me!<\/p>\n

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