Here I Am, Lord

Lyrics and music by Dan Schutte; piano arrangement by Mark Hayes. This song makes me think of several things: 1. Did you know that you have the power to make God weep? If we choose to reject Him, He grieves. He loves each of us SO MUCH, no matter what we have done! 2. The chorus of this song brings to mind two Bible stories. One was the boy Samuel who heard God calling him in the night. This is the first few verses of 1 Samuel 3 from The Voice: "1 The boy Samuel continued to serve the Eternal One under the guidance of Eli. In those days, messages from the Eternal were rare, and sacred dreams or visions were given to very few. 2 Eli, who was very old, had become almost blind. He was lying in his room; 3 it was late at night but before dawn as the lamp of God still burned. Samuel was resting in the house of the Eternal One, where the covenant chest of the True God was located, and he heard a voice. Eternal One: 4 Samuel! Samuel! Samuel: Here I am! 5 (running to Eli) I heard you calling; here I am! Eli: I did not call you, my son. Go back, and lie down. So Samuel went back to bed. 6 But the Eternal called him again. Eternal One: Samuel! Samuel (running to Eli): I heard you calling; here I am! Eli: No, I did not call you, my son. Go back, and lie down. I need my rest. 7 Samuel did not recognize the voice of the Eternal One, for the word of the Eternal had not been revealed to Samuel yet. So Samuel went back again to his bed. 8 And the Eternal One called him a third time. Samuel (running to Eli): I know you called me; I am here! Eli (realizing the Lord was calling Samuel): 9 Go back and lie down, my son. If the voice calls you again, I want you to say, “Speak, Eternal One. Your servant is listening.” So Samuel went to his bed in his place and listened. 10 Then the Eternal One came into his presence as before. Eternal One: Samuel! Samuel! Samuel: Speak, Eternal One. Your servant is listening." The other story is the prophet Isaiah's call from God. These are the first few verses from Isaiah 6 from The Voice: "1 In the same year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a grand throne way up high with a flowing cape that filled the whole temple. 2 Bright flaming creatures waited on Him. Each had six wings: two covering its face, two covering its feet, and two for flying. 3 Like some fiery choir, they would call back and forth continually. Flaming Creatures: Holy, holy, holy is the Eternal, the Commander of heavenly armies! The earth is filled with His glorious presence! 4 They were so loud that the doorframes shook, and the holy house kept filling with smoke. 5 Isaiah: I am in so much trouble! I’m ruined! I’m just a human being—fallible and stammering. My lips are encrusted with filth; and I live among people just like me. But here I am, and I’ve seen with my very own eyes none other than the King, the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies. 6 Then one of the flaming creatures flew to me holding a red-hot ember which it had taken from God’s table, the temple altar, with a pair of tongs. 7 The creature held it to my lips. Flaming Creature: Look! With the touch of this burning ember on your lips, your guilt is turned away; All your faults and wrongdoings are forgiven. 8 Then I heard the Lord’s voice. Eternal One: Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us? Isaiah: Here I am! Send me." I pray that I have the courage like Samuel and Isaiah to say, "Here I am; please send me!" And God has promised to always be with us and to lead us when we work for Him. People are dying in this world every day who need to hear the truth about God and His love for us. I, the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard My people cry. All who dwell in dark and sin My hand will save. I Who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright. Who will bear My light to them? Whom shall I send? Refrain: Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard You calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if You lead me. I will hold Your people in my heart. I, the Lord of snow and rain, I have borne My people's pain. I have wept for love of them. They turn away. I will break their hearts of stone, give them hearts for love alone. I will speak My word to them. Whom shall I send? I, the Lord of wind and flame, I will tend the poor and lame, I will set a feast for them. My hand will save. Finest bread I will provide till their hearts be satisfied. I will give My life to them. Whom shall I send? #PamsPiano #SacredPianoMusic #HereIAmLord #Consecration #Service