Lord, Here I am.

“Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:9)

Growing up Lutheran, I was taught to pray before meals and at bedtime. The “Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest” prayer was for meals, and the “Now I lay me down to sleep” prayer was recited before my head hit the pillow most nights. These prayers offered a subtle pointing toward home each evening—a reminder of to whom that day, and the next, belonged. I’m not sure I really grasped the words in those prayers as a child. Most nights, I spoke them while my mind wandered to other things, but they were a repeated comfort nonetheless.

When was the last time you prayed and felt comfort? Maybe it was minutes ago. Maybe weeks. Maybe never. The beautiful thing about our relationship with God is that, no matter if or when you last ran to Him in prayer, He always welcomes you home. It’s unconditional love at its very core. I hope that alone brings you peace of mind today, friend.

As I have matured, so have my prayers. I think the two go hand in hand, given that middle age usually finds most of us having experienced a myriad of struggles and celebrations. Put simply, our need for prayer has grown. For me, my prayers have always been very… wordy. I’m a writer—what can I say? The more words, the better. But lately, I have felt a calling to, how do you say… shut up. And quite honestly, shutting up sounds nice. I am tired, both physically and figuratively, of trying to fix things by way of reason or by hashing out every thought and feeling I have. What about you?

Many in the Bible exercised the skill of listening prayer, and I wanted to lean into that today. Moses, Samuel, Abraham, and Isaiah all approached God with the ever-faithful listening stance of “Here I am” in their prayer life. This posture is one of submission, stillness, and trust in the One who created prayer. My praying at God with my lists, concerns, and thank-yous is okay and welcomed, but will it result in a true connection that leads me into a place of discernment for God’s plan? Further, does my incessant talking bring revelation? Let me answer that for you—nope, never.

In each of the men I listed above, their response came from a calling. Each was prompted by God in one way or another. Friend, we too are being prompted. 1 Corinthians 10:31 states, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Do you see that? We are all called to glorify Him. How? By living as He did. So maybe God’s request in your prayers is not audible, but God is calling each of us into a place of trust and submission. Why? Because His ways are better. And “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

So, what’s on your mind today? What’s the current worry? Where can you apply a “Lord, here I am”as you quietly wait for Him to speak? The Lord sits and waits for you to receive His love. Oh friend, live loved today and encourage others to rest in the “here I am” of their prayers. When we say “yes” to God, the unthinkable happens.

My Father, here I am…