When God Speaks, Answer With HINENI

2024 was a year filled with milestones and growth. It also was a time when I felt God call me to move in new ways. God often uses the strength we build during good times to get us ready for a call into what’s next.

God is always at work, always moving in your life. The key is responding to his voice. Early this year, God was impressing on me that what he wanted from my year was for me to “take care of people” and to “lay foundations.” As I grappled with these words, I had to not just recognize them as the voice of God but respond.

I believe it’s critical for even the most mature Christ-followers to always be seeking God - remaining open, curious, and childlike in our discovery of what God might be doing around us. I often ask him to help me hear his voice so I can follow. When God calls us to something new (or even reminds us of something he already told us!), we all need to answer with the same word: HINENI.

What Does HINENI Mean?

HINENI is a beautiful Hebrew word with a simple three-word meaning in English:

Here I am.

Of course, when you’re translating complex Biblical names, words, and concepts between languages and cultures, the surface translation is hardly ever where you stop. The word HINENI is comprised of two words: hineh and ani, which mean here and I, respectively.

We aren’t talking about taking classroom attendance or an enthusiastically Biblical roll call. Hineh is also translated as “Behold!” and indicates that an important announcement is coming.

This gives HINENI an element of surprise and expectation. It is a proactive indication, on our part, of availability and readiness for action.

I like to think of it as telling God, “I’m here for it!” or “Let’s do this!” Whatever “it” or “this” might be.

Where Is HINENI Used in the Bible?

There are multiple people who use HINENI in the Bible — and they are all humans responding to God’s call:

When God approached Abraham in Genesis 22, he responded, “Hineni!”
When God called out to Moses from the burning bush in Exodus 3 he replied, “Hineni!”
When God first came to Samuel as a young boy in Samuel 3, he replied (more than once), “Hineni! I’m listening!”
When God asked, “Who will go for me?” in Isaiah 6, Isaiah said, “Here I am, send me!”

Many of the most powerful ambassadors of God’s Kingdom throughout the Old Testament started their ministries with the phrase, “Here I am.” And they weren’t signing up for simple tasks, either.

God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son. He tasked Moses with a mission of freedom from a foreign king. He gave Samuel a tough message to deliver to his very important boss. He used Isaiah’s entire life as an oracle to speak to the nation of Israel.

HINENI was an enthusiastic response pregnant with expectation and willing cooperation, even if the next thing God said was difficult, overwhelming, or unpleasant. It is a response focused not on the comfort or desirable nature of the calling but on the love of and respect for the Caller.

The Impact of HINENI

When God calls us, it isn’t to sing our praises or check in on how we’re doing. He has real things he wants us to do, and we need to respond with a willing and ready attitude.

The forward-thinking posture of ‘HINENI’ is so important because we don’t know when God is going to call. Abraham and Moses were going about their normal lives when God showed up with a commission for them. Samuel was just a kid when he heard God for the first time!

Every day is a day you can cultivate a HINENI mindset. You can practice hearing the Spirit and having a willingness to follow God wherever and whenever he calls. Sometimes, I ask God which way to drive home or who to text and check in on or what words of encouragement I can speak to someone I am with at a moment’s notice. Practicing this every day keeps us:

We don’t know when or how God will call us. And that’s okay. What is important is that we stay ready to respond when that does happen. (And trust me. It will. Here’s one amazing story!) If we cultivate a mindset of awareness and willingness, we are more likely to respond “HINENI!” with confidence when the time comes.

This is the first in a three-part series on HINENI. Join me next time to explore what kind of obstacles can get in the way of a HINENI mindset.

If you want to hear more from me, sign up for my email newsletter. You can also pre-order my new book, Blueprint for Belonging, here.

When God Speaks, Answer With HINENI

What Does HINENI Mean?

Where Is HINENI Used in the Bible?

The Impact of HINENI

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