Being available

Two prayer requests will get almost immediate answers. One is the prayer, “God, change me and make my life what You want it to be.” His answer comes so quickly that I’ve learned to duck when I pray that one.

The other one goes something like Isaiah’s prayer after he had a vision of God’s holiness that left him devastated and overwhelmed at what he saw of God and what he realized about his own sinfulness. He declared that he was a man of unclean lips living among unclean people because his eyes had seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Then he says:

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8)

God loves a clean heart, but He also loves a willing heart. We heard a great sermon last Sunday about compassion for those in need. Just reading a newspaper tells me that the needs in this world are enormous. Finding them is not an issue, but knowing where to start can be overwhelming. We live in a thriving city, yet thousands of needy people live here. What can I do with such overwhelming need?

Early this week, I prayed something like, “God, I’m not able to do many things, but in whatever capacities I have, I’m willing to help people.” It didn’t take Him long to set it up.

Starting Monday, for four days out of five I found myself with several additions to my agenda. God put a few people in my path with needs that fit my resources. I could help them, and although it didn’t seem like much in my mind, they were grateful for what I could do.

On one of those days I had the privilege of touring a care center for children in crisis. This center occupies the entire top floor of a downtown skyscraper. Here, various agencies that are involved in child abuse cases have office space so the victims of abuse do not have to go to their offices scattered all over the city to get the various kinds of help needed.

This center, with its bright counseling rooms and other spaces, is geared with children in mind. In one room the seating is low, yet the interview people usually sit on the floor. In another room, the tops of all the desks are covered with stuffed toys. There are offices for lawyers, doctors, police and counselors, as well as a board room and a large classroom where volunteers are trained.

As I talked with the director of this unique center, she told me of one of their biggest needs and as she said it, the Lord whispered to my heart, “You can do that.” How could I not respond, “Here am I”?

The starfish story pops into mind. Unusual waves stranded hundreds of starfish on a sandy beach. A young man walked the beach, picking up one starfish at a time and tossing it back into the ocean. Another man said to him, “What good is that. With so many stranded starfish, how can what you are doing possibly make any difference?”

The young man selected another starfish and, as he tossed it into the water, he said, “It makes a difference to this one.”

Being on call for the Lord never results in idleness. No servant of Jesus Christ is bored or lonely or wondering what to do next. As long as I keep praying the first request, He’ll put the second one on my heart to also pray, and between the two of them, life will be filled with meaningful things that bring good to others and glory to God.