Here I am, Lord

The following was written by a poster on the Catholic Answers website (catholic.com). I started twice today to convey the same message in my own journal, but I just couldn't say it as well as this poster.

How many times have we failed to take action - when action was clearly called for?

"Be still, and know that I am God" - is not a recommendation to lead a life of complete passivity. "Let God do it - or let anyone else do it -just leave me in peace and quiet. Besides, I'm not equipped to take action."

There is, unhappily, instructive precedent for this attitude. One thinks of the prophet Isaiah saying, when God appeared to him:"Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips...yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" The prophet Isaiah was well aware of his own sinfulness, and he shrank back into himself, telling God that he shouldn't be the one sent.God sends an angel with a burning ember to press against the lips of Isaiah. Feeling cleansed, Isaiah says:"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send?" "Who will go for us?" "Here I am, Lord. Send me."

Contrast this - with the words of the prophet Jeremiah, when God calls him to speak to His people, Israel."Ah, Lord God!" I said, "I know not how to speak; I am too young." Well, perhaps he was young - but God would speak to His people through the man He had chosen - Jeremiah.

Moses said to God - when God told him that he was to go to Egypt,to lead God's people out of their bondage:"Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt?" All Moses wanted to do was to tend the flock of sheep that he was responsible for. Yet the divine Shepherd called to a human shepherd to help Him save His people from the grip of the Egyptian Pharaoh. God replied to Moses, when Moses expressed his fears: He answered, "I will be with you...

Both Moses and Jeremiah were understandably worried. Neither had a gift for speech. Why was God calling to them? Didn't He - Who knows all things - know what imperfect 'instruments' they would be? Shouldn't He find someone else? God said to Jeremiah, when Jeremiah pleaded not to be sent - because he was too young: But the Lord answered me, Say not, "I am too young." To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak. Have no fear before them, because I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.

We have already seen how God comforted Moses, in his fears: God answered,"I will be with you...When we hear an inner call to take action - to relieve suffering, to give counsel, to stand by those who need support, to give of our time and our wealth - how many times have we said, shrinking back:"There's been a mistake. Surely You don't mean me, Lord? The next time I hear this inner call, please, God, have mercy,and give me the grace to say, with Isaiah:"Here I am, Lord. Send me."

Now, on the lighter side, I was listening to a program on EWTN radio this evening and caught the following:
We all know that God provided manna in the desert for the Israelites to eat and sustain them for all of their wandering years. They wandered for so long they became quite creative with the manna. Several recipies have been handed down to this day....mannana nut bread, mannana cream pies, manna cotti.......