When God Calls, Will You Answer?
This is the second in a three-part series on “HINENI.” Make sure to check out Part 1 if you like to read things in order. If you’re already familiar with the Hebrew phrase “Here I am” and don’t mind reading out of order, dive in!
I am a lover of words. When I read the Bible, I pay attention to words and phrases that pique my curiosity, are repeated through scripture, or have multiple layers of meaning. When God says, “Let there be light,” in Genesis 1, the word “light” is “Ohr,” which has the deeper meaning of bringing order to chaos. The term “Abba” implies a sense of fatherly familiarity and respect. By digging a little deeper, we can strengthen our understanding of who God is, what he is doing in our world, and how we are supposed to relate to Him.
The word I’m fascinated with right now is a Hebrew word, ‘HINENI.’ It has the simple meaning of “Here I am,” but it may be the most important word you can embrace in establishing a daily connection to God. Most world religions are about the quest for people to get to God -- but HINENI is a reminder that, at the core of Christian faith, is a God who comes to his people — and, with it, a question about whether we will respond.
Throughout the Bible, God calls to his people. He calls people out of dark and lonely places and brings them into his light. He calls people to accept his salvation. He calls people into work in his Kingdom. He calls people to new jobs and life stages. God repeatedly calls to human beings with a simple invitation to respond and see what’s next. His call doesn’t sound like Him barking out orders: his first words are often like the first time he did this in Genesis 3; “the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
This very simple question - ‘Where are you?’ - is why the word HINENI is so important. You have a genuine choice in how to respond to the God who is looking for you. You can hide from him (like Adam and Eve tried to do in Genesis). You can run away from him. You can ignore the sound of his voice. Or you can answer with ‘Here I am.’ If you choose not to respond to God with ‘HINENI,’ it can stop everything God is doing in your life.
Every one of us goes through times when we choose a response that is not ‘HINENI.’
What’s in the Way of Your HINENI?
I believe HINENI is not just a word but a mindset of being available and responsive to God. And, to be honest, I’m not always in that place! I’ve discovered several things that often block me from being ready to say ‘HINENI’ to God. Maybe one of these is like you, too?
- You don’t expect him to speak to you. If you believe in Jesus’ name, you are his child (John 1:12), part of the family tree (Romans 11). He wants to lead you each day by his Spirit (Romans 8:14).
- You can’t let go of your own timing or plans. His ways are higher than yours (Isaiah 55:8). Sometimes, we are so focused on working our own plan for life that we don’t ask him to reveal his.
- You’re on Christian autopilot. If you’re just checking boxes of what “good people” do, you won’t hear unique daily ways you can follow the Spirit. God has a more personal plan for you than working on a list of how to be a good wife or friend or daughter.
- You say yes to everything. Saying HINENI to everyone about everything can water down your God-given calling. There’s often a list of good things to which you have to say ‘no’ in order to protect margin to respond to God.
Identifying your stumbling block is a great place to start a new conversation with God. Honest communication with God is always part of the mindset of ‘HINENI.’
How to Embrace HINENI
God doesn’t need you. He wants you! The God of the universe wants you involved in his plans. He wants to talk with you, walk with you, reveal things to you. He wants to work with you as his plans for your life unfold. All of this requires you to hear his voice and say ‘HINENI’ when he calls out to you.
I’ve learned not to worry about whether I’m hearing God perfectly or responding exactly right. He doesn’t require perfection! As a mom of four, I am always happy when my kids are trying to respond in love and obedience to my voice. That’s how God feels about our attempts to respond to him! So don’t worry about getting it perfect.
Practice in Prayer
Saying ‘HINENI’ often begins with a life full of prayer. Prayer is like a training ground to hear God more clearly. Our first “yes” to God, by accepting Jesus as Lord, opens up the greatest privilege of a Christian life - unhindered access to God! What an amazing privilege to not only be able to speak directly to God but expect that he also will be talking to you! The more I talk with God, the more I expect and anticipate his voice in my life. God recently called me into a new phase of my life and ministry. That happened in small pieces, through prayer, over time. God sometimes “calls” us by slowly, relationally revealing his will as we pray.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Pray on your knees, in the car, with your Bible, with your friends. Seek answers. Hold your own thoughts loosely and listen often - and soon you will be saying, “Here I am,” back to God with boldness and clarity.
Say it Out Loud
Hineni requires you to stop ‘playing at’ all the God stuff. No more negotiating. No more avoiding him. When you speak something out loud, it gets much more real. Speaking back to God audibly builds my faith and helps me stay accountable for what I think He is saying to me. For me, it sounds like, “Okay, God - I think you are calling me to ______. So here I am. I’m in.”
Just like anything else in my life, when I say it out loud, it feels more real. I remember the first time I told someone I was going to run a marathon. It was scary and exciting - and suddenly real. That’s how HINENI often feels. Don’t allow your exchanges with God to all be silent, passive, intellectual back and forth. Talk to Jesus Himself standing in front of you. Sometimes I even say, “If I am wrong about this, feel free to redirect me, but until you do, this is what I’m in on!”
Go All In
Go all in. As you say out loud what you hear, be ready to MOVE. The moment you go all in is the moment you actually do something. Faith isn’t faith until it becomes a part of your actions. I talk a lot about this in my first book if you want to hear more about Jesus’ insistence we move. Living in the mindset of ‘Hineni’ means leaning towards action. It might be joining a ministry, getting baptized, changing your job, or having that tough conversation with a friend. Whatever it is, saying HINENI out loud will make you more accountable and help you keep moving forward to action. The moment you make a move is the moment God knows you are someone who wants more of Him.
HINENI is a willingness to go all-in on what God has for your life. It’s a word of trust in him and an eagerness to see what he has next for you. Hineni can become part of how you talk to God today.
Keep an eye out for Part 3 on HINENI coming soon, where we will look at the one time in the Bible that God says HINENI to his people.
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