EDITORIAL
Backstage | Jimmy Dodd
I had a good laugh during a recent pastor’s conference. Posted at the reception desk of the hotel was a sign promoting $7-an-hour tennis lessons 24/7. I immediately knew that someone had colossally failed in sign making 101. I let the receptionist know I wanted to take advantage of this amazing offer.
“Great!” she exclaimed, “what time would you like your lesson?”
“3 a.m.” I replied.
“But our only tennis instructor is not available at 3 a.m. Is there another time that would work for you?”
With a big smile on my face, I pushed a little harder: “But your advertisement says the instructor is available 24/7—for only $7! That’s why I asked for a 3 a.m. lesson. It says right here the instructor is always available.”
“Come on Mr. Dodd,” she replied [also smiling], “No one is available 24/7.”
Always Available
One powerful reality that brings us great hope in the midst of a contentious year is this: The tennis pro might not be available 24/7, but God is. The Lord is always at work.
When God called out to Moses from the burning bush, Moses replied, “Hineni,” a powerful Hebrew word (הנני) that means “Here I am!” Hineni is an offer of total availability. When God asked Abraham to offer his only son as a sacrifice, Abraham responded, “Hineni!” not knowing what God was about to ask. God called out to the young boy Samuel three times before Samuel finally responded, “Hineni! I’m listening!” Many hundreds of years later, when God asked who would go for him in Isaiah 6, the prophet willingly offered himself with a cry of “Hineni!” Send me!” These servants were willing, ready and waiting to serve the Lord.
Wonderfully, Isaiah 58:8–9 contains the Lord’s promise that when we call upon the him, he is hineni to you and to me. He is available and ready to serve.
“Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the LORD (Adonai) will answer;
You will cry and He will say, ‘Here I am’” (Hineni!).
What a promise! When we call out to the Lord, he stands ready to serve his followers. The God who created the heavens and the earth says to you right now, “Here I am.” And because of who God is, this is not a momentary promise but a perpetual guarantee bringing encouragement, comfort and hope. God is unceasingly at work. Jesus is continually at work. The Holy Spirit is perpetually at work. Lamentations 3:22 reminds us that the Lord’s lovingkindness never ceases. His compassions never fail. God is always ready and available.
Taking this truth an additional step: Because God is sovereign (Job 42:2), how much of his attention can he specifically give to you? All of his attention. And how often can he give you all of his attention? All of the time.
Be encouraged. God is always able to give you his undivided attention as he works 24/7 on every difficulty, each problem and all challenges that impact you in any and every way because God is always at work.