Tag! You're It!

Exodus 3:2-4 – There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight — why the bush does not burn up." When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am." (NIV)

"Tag" has come to mean many things over the years. Items are tagged with graffiti. People are tagged for speeding, with wins/losses in sports, and now in pictures online.

But when I was growing up the only "tag" I cared about was our favourite playground game. The person who was "It" had to tag someone who then became the new It. For varying reasons, some of us were It more often, but we all needed to take turns to stay in the game.

I hadn't thought of tag in years! Until this e-mail:

Thank you very much to those who contributed devotionals this month. It has been years since I have not been able to fill an entire month with devotionals on hand, but that has happened in January — we were three days short. And now, so far at least, I have only enough devotionals to last until February the 19th. It's been a long time since some of our writers have contributed, so this e-mail comes as a reminder that your contributions are greatly appreciated. If the Lord has been prompting you to write something, now is the time! So often, something happens, and it has a direct spiritual application. Those are the best devotionals. Different things are happening to us every day, and if we're on the lookout for what the Lord may be trying to say to us, the devotional almost writes itself! Give it a try. I'll be happy to hear from you! – Robin Ross

At that, I felt tagged to be It, just like Moses in today's Scripture. I strongly identify with Moses because my life parallels his. His journey started out in an oasis of life, later found him stripped of identity, purpose, and hope. Banished on a treacherous, long, lonely, journey in the desert, grieving, parched, and longing for a merciful death, God rescued Moses and settled him in a new land and a completely different reality. Oddly comforting, perhaps even numbing, he could hide and forget. A timeout. But only temporarily …

"Moses, Moses." Tag! You're It. Moses answers, "Here I am," but then waffles. "I have never been eloquent, I am slow of speech and tongue. Please send someone else." God cajoles, then angrily rebukes the excuses. "I will give you a helper: Aaron. I will help both of you speak, and will teach you what to do."

Acts 13:47b – I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth. (NIV)

Many times over years, the Daily Devotional has been a light in my darkness, a faithful daily drop of salvation in my inbox to quench a desperate thirst. So much inspiration from seasoned preachers and ordinary people alike — what a blessing! But even when I've felt inspiration and stirrings within, I've waffled — never written, never embraced "Here I am."

Yet this time was different. I felt tagged. It hit me. What if no one answers, "Here I am"? What about all the people needing that daily outreach? Out of silence came this voice:

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night;
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
       – Daniel L. Schutte

Once I had answered, "Here I am," and prayed, "I will go, Lord, if You lead me," the game, the thoughts, the Scriptures, the hymns — everything — came flooding at me, not only for this devotional but more as well. What Robin said is true: Devotionals almost write themselves.

Isaiah 6:8 – Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" (NIV)

And now: Tag! You're It. Hear it. Feel it. Pray. Embrace it! I'm looking forward to your contributions!

Prayer:

Spirit, Spirit of gentleness,
Blow through the wilderness,
Calling and free.
Spirit, Spirit of restlessness,
Stir me from placidness,
Wind, Wind on the sea.
       – James K. Manley

With bold new decisions, let us arise. Amen.