A Heart for Yes

Have you felt “that nudge” lately—you know, the call of God to act or speak on His behalf? He probably prompts us more often than we know. The fact we sense His Spirit’s leading is a great thing, for it shows God knows us personally and delights in accomplishing His will through little ol’ us. It also confirms that we can and do hear Him. What a joy! And how humbling! He is faithful to honor us this way and to involve us in meaningful work of eternal impact, which leaves us to consider how we will RSVP to His invitation to join Him today. For instance, when God asked Isaiah, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” the prophet eagerly volunteered, “Here I am! Send me.”¹ Perhaps we have had similar encounters and still savor the joy of heeding the call. Then there are the less stellar moments, such as when God called Moses to lead His people out of Egypt. “Who am I that I should go . . .?”² he objected, adding, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.”³ Surely, we can relate to both of these men, for certainly we have responded at times like each.

Responses come from the heart, so how do we become more faithful in our spiritual “yes” and less inclined toward our natural “no”? Several things come to mind. I share them not as a burdensome checklist, but as liberating truths to contemplate.

Know God has meaningful work for you. He has “created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”⁵ He has His plans for each of us, so we look to Him for direction.

Stay close. Christ lives in us, and no one loves us more intimately. It is safe to trust, rest and rejoice in His presence. So as James promises, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”⁴ The closer we are to Him through prayer and His Word, the more clearly we’ll hear His voice.

Embrace humble tasks. Paul counsels us: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves,”⁶ and he ushers us toward the mindset of Christ, who “humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”⁷

Remember God blesses us as we bless others. In washing His disciples’ feet, Jesus modeled in mere minutes what He had taught for three years, adding, “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”⁸

Prepare your heart to respond His voice. “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”⁹ This is our daily call to trust and obey.

Take heart. “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.”¹⁰

Father, Here I am! Send me. In Christ I pray. Amen.

¹ Isaiah 6:8 ESV
² Exodus 3:11 ESV
³ Exodus 4:13 ESV
⁴ James 4:8 ESV
⁵ Ephesians 2:10 NLT
⁶ Philippians 2:3
⁷ Philippians 2:8 ESV
⁸ John 13:17
⁹ Hebrews 4:7 ESV
¹⁰ 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (emphasis added)