Daily Prayer - Whom shall I send?

Good Wednesday morning, my friends.
 
As I read this John Fischer article yesterday, I was reminded of the floods happening in and around Calgary, and indeed throughout the Southern Prairies.  Then I was reminded of the 1998 ice storm (and aftermath) in Eastern Ontario/Western Quebec that many of us endured.  And I am reminded of many other calamities, some much worse, around the world.  Perhaps this is a differnt way to answer the question "Why does God let these things happen?"
 

Send me       

 

by John Fischer 

 

 

When bad things happen send me.

 

I received a nice note from Pam about my Catch last week on theological conundrums. She mentioned that her pastor often talks about how the world is "subject to gravity and meteorological activity and people's bad choices and polluted air ... you get my drift. Not that God doesn't intervene in miraculous ways but calamity is just part of existing on this planet. What God does do for us when we are in need is send people."

 

Now I love that, and I believe it is true. Not that this is reason for bad things to happen, but bad things do give God an opportunity to send people, and just who would that be if it isn't you and me?

 

This could be any number of a million things like offering assistance, or offering counsel, or just offering a warm body to sit with someone and kick at the darkness. The important thing is to get yourself there, and the important thing before that is to ask yourself, "Is this my chance? Is God sending me?"

 

 On September 11, 2001, my daughter was attending college north of Boston, and when she heard of the terrorist attack on the twin towers in New York, she wanted to go there. She was a trained EMT, for heaven's sake. She could help. She could do something. Now in this case it wasn't practical for her to go, but I never forgot that attitude. I think that's what God is looking for - someone to say, instead of questioning, "Send me."

 

Next time you hear about something bad happening to someone, instead of wondering what God is up to, I want you to imagine God pulling you aside and whispering in your ear, "I want you to go in there and help. I want you to represent me. Don't worry about what you're going to say when you get there; I'll give you the words - that's what my Holy Spirit is for - just get yourself there. I'll handle the rest."

 

When bad things happen, it's really not up to us to try to figure out God; it's up to us to try to figure out if God is asking us to do something about it. 

 

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:

 

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;

    the whole earth is full of his glory."

 

At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

 

"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty."

 

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."

 

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"

 

And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:1-8)

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Bruce
 

My people hunger for living signs of my love for them. Whom shall I send?
    Here am I, send me!
 
My people are weary, and long for encouragement as they labour at tasks with few
stopping to thank them. Whom shall I send?
    Here am I, send me!
 
My people yearn to have their giftedness called forth in the service of love. Whom shall I send?
    Here am I, send me!
 
My people live in an age which prizes individualism, and starves their need to contribute to something bigger than themselves. Whom shall I send?
    Here am I, send me!
 
My people thirst for leaders who reveal me as a God of hope who accompanies them in their struggle and pain. Whom shall I send?
    Here am I, send me!
 
My people long for leaders who have tasted their brokenness, and have learned to serve with humility and joy. Whom shall I send?
    Here am I, send me!
 
(Based on a prayer by Les Miller, YCDSB)