I read this on one of my devotion sites I follow on Facebook, “Centering Prayer & Inner Awakening.” It moved me in a comforting peaceful way, and I hope you will feel the same.
“Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and He will say: Here am I.”
Isaiah 58:6-9
Hineni – (pronounced hee-nay-nee) Here I Am
My lungs breathe even when I’m not aware of my breath. God is with me even when I’m not aware of his presence.
Hineni – here I am – is the word, which, like my breath, invites me back to an awareness of God’s abiding presence. Hineni – was the Hebrew word Abraham spoke when God called him to the mountaintop to sacrifice his son Isaac. Hineni – here I am,” was God’s reply as God gave Abraham a sacrifice in the thicket instead.
Sometimes we forget that God is always present to us, we miss it, God’s presence, because we get caught up in household chores, making a living, and the busyness of life or worry. If we make time, like morning time in which to meditate, we become more aware of that Presence. If we start each day in the quiet by focusing on our breath by placing your hands on your chest, feel your lungs expand, and recognize your breath, the breath of life, which sustains us.
When you show up to be alone with God, you can imagine God saying, ‘Here I am.’ And as you focus on your breath, respond back, ‘Hineni – here I am.’ Recognize how much God loves and guides you, allow yourself to go more deeply into his presence.
Reflect on the word Hineni, it is the reply of someone called to perform an important task. As said by Abraham, Moses, and many other prophets when God called their names. It’s also the promise God provides when he tells us in scripture, “Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and He will say: Here am I.” (Isaiah 58:6-9).
Maybe the task God’s chosen for all eternity is to reveal God’s love for us in countless ways, such as:
- Here I am in the quiet, comforting you, guiding you, showing you the pathway to inner peace.
- Here I am in the mourning dove’s coo as she sings tender chants of delight, rejoicing in the gift of another day.
- Here I am in the colors of the sunrise that fill your heart with the taste of my delicious light.
- Here I am in your loved ones who hold you and journey with you, revealing the gift of my love embodied in their lives.
- Here I am to comfort you when you suffer, and I hold you with my unconditional love.
Perhaps the task we’ve been given, is simply to show up and respond, “Hineni – here I am too,” in ways such as:
- Here I am to receive your love, Lord, to let it embrace me, let it fill me with your compassion and delight.
- Here I am to be your Beloved, to let your favor rest upon me.
- Here I am to notice your Presence and let it become our sacred story.
- Here I am to rest my head upon your breast and let you nourish me with your love.
- Here I am to do the work of your hands, to embody your presence in my life, and fulfill my task of loving you, myself, and others with the gift of your grace.
Maybe “here I am” is a two-way street. It symbolizes a rich relationship in which God and we show up, become aware of one another’s presence in each moment, and embrace the important tasks we’ve been given, to abide in love with each other. Sometimes when I don’t feel God’s presence, I will say, “I miss you. Where are you?” Often I hear God whisper in response, “Here I am,” and we smile. I wonder if God sometimes feels our absence too. In those moments, does God yearn for us, asking, “Where are you?” And then await our reply?
We’re not always aware of God’s abiding presence, but when we make time and ask God, “are you here?” Like our breath, God is always here. All we need do is notice and respond, “Hineni – here I am.”
Holy and Loving Lord, teach us how to still our thoughts and come to you wanting for nothing but to be still in your presence. Give us the faith that will enable to lay our burdens at your feet, and to leave them there in exchange for the peace which passes all understanding. Amen.
Blessings,
Brenda