Isaiah 49:3;5-6
Psalm 40
1 Corinthians 1:1-3
John 1:29-34
I Did Not Know Him
Today seems to be built around the idea of the call each one of us receives. Isaiah speaks of being formed in the womb and called to be a servant. Paul identifies himself as being called to be an apostle and tells the Corinthians they are called to be holy. John, for me, seems to be reflecting on this baptism incident. He knows he is called to prepare the way, to be the bridegroom, to watch for the one on whom the Spirit descends, and then to decrease and trust. Yet, even with all this, what strikes me most is his twice repeated phrase, “I did not know him.”
This past week’s gospels spoke much of the call with Samuel and Matthew among those called. In the story of Samuel, it says that at that time, he was not yet familiar with the Lord. This struck me to the heart. Do I know the Lord? Am I familiar with the Lord? No, not yet. God must be knocking and pounding on the thick doors of my mind and heart, and I don’t even hear it. God is in my sisters, the young, the parents, and most often, I miss that presence completely. I fear reaching the end of my life and only being able to say, “I did not know him.” I fear even more hearing the Lord say, “I do not know you,” as he did to those locked out of the feast. They taught in their churches and preached in the streets, but did not know the Lord. To me, that is a huge risk! My call is not only public; God calls me to know and be known.
Lord, come to me. Come as you will, but help me open my heart to become familiar with you.
God calls but not in traditional ways – like hearing a voice or a sound. God calls through every particle of our lives, those recognized and those not recognized! God calls – am I hearing? Perhaps not with my ears, but rather with my heart, with my very being…. God calls MY name, continuously and without ceasing. If God is calling then LOVE is calling me to LOVE! Will I answer?
The CALL. . . consistently . . . never giving up . . . am I listening? Do I see? John recognized and heard. May I focus on each person that comes to me . . . that I go to, blocking out every distraction that keeps me from receiving God’s message through that person. How easy it is to talk and not say anything, to hear and not listen to a word, to see and not behold His EPIPHANY.