Winning Ways -- Hillcrest Baptist Church

Here I Am
by Tom Goodman
June 17, 2015

I first heard the song in a mall. Faintly above the din of shoppers' voices, I heard the voice of Emmylou Harris on the mall speakers . . .

I am standing by the river
I will be standing here forever
Though you're on the other side
My face you still can see
Why won't you look at me?

Here I am . . .
Here I am . . .

I stopped and got out of the flow of shoppers to hear more. Clearly, this wasn't a typical love song. I was hearing God calling out to Adam and Eve -- and their progeny:

I am in the blood of your heart
The breath of your lungs
Why do you run for cover?
You are from the dirt of the earth
And the kiss of my mouth
I have always been your lover.

Here I am . . .
Here I am . . .

I looked around the mall sure that someone else was hearing this, too. But the crowds shuffled by unmindful of the call. While they gazed in shop windows, licked dripping ice cream cones, talked to each other or messaged on their phones, the appeal continued:

I am the promise never broken
And my arms are ever open
In this harbor calm and still
I will wait until
Until you come to me

Here I am . . .
Here I am . . .

"I'm not a particularly religious person," Harris wrote about her song. "But I thought, 'What must God be feeling when people just completely ignore Him?'" She says that Julie Miller, her friend and a committed Christian, inspired her to write the song.

Of course, mall music isn't meant to arrest shoppers' attention. I normally don't catch the music played in the background at a shopping center, either. But that day at the mall, as I looked around at people oblivious to this love song that had captured my attention -- God's love song to his children -- well, the whole experience took on a powerful symbolism.

Each believer has a story of how they heard that divine call above the noise and distractions of their lives. We heard God say "Return to me!" and we gratefully responded.

Let me know the story of your return, or let me know how I can help you make that trip!

--Tom

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Here I Am by Tom Goodman June 17, 2015 I first heard the song in a mall. Faintly above the din of shoppers' voices, I heard the voice of Emmylou Harris on the mall speakers . . . I am standing by the river I will be standing here forever Though you're on the other side My face you still can see Why won't you look at me? Here I am . . . Here I am . . . I stopped and got out of the flow of shoppers to hear more. Clearly, this wasn't a typical love song. I was hearing God calling out to Adam and Eve -- and their progeny: I am in the blood of your heart The breath of your lungs Why do you run for cover? You are from the dirt of the earth And the kiss of my mouth I have always been your lover. Here I am . . . Here I am . . . I looked around the mall sure that someone else was hearing this, too. But the crowds shuffled by unmindful of the call. While they gazed in shop windows, licked dripping ice cream cones, talked to each other or messaged on their phones, the appeal continued: I am the promise never broken And my arms are ever open In this harbor calm and still I will wait until Until you come to me Here I am . . . Here I am . . . "I'm not a particularly religious person," Harris wrote about her song. "But I thought, 'What must God be feeling when people just completely ignore Him?'" She says that Julie Miller, her friend and a committed Christian, inspired her to write the song. Of course, mall music isn't meant to arrest shoppers' attention. I normally don't catch the music played in the background at a shopping center, either. But that day at the mall, as I looked around at people oblivious to this love song that had captured my attention -- God's love song to his children -- well, the whole experience took on a powerful symbolism. Each believer has a story of how they heard that divine call above the noise and distractions of their lives. We heard God say "Return to me!" and we gratefully responded. Let me know the story of your return, or let me know how I can help you make that trip! --Tom Beacon Articles Available Online: The staff newsletters that appear each week in the Beacon are also available on our website. You can find them here. Check out my weblog here. Do you know friends who would appreciate Winning Ways? Just forward this e-mail to them! Have you subscribed to Winning Ways? You can subscribe by clicking here and following the instructions. Your e-mail address will not be sold or given away to anyone, and you can automatically change your subscription or drop it by following the easy steps provided with each e-mail. FRESH NEWS AT HILLCREST UPDATED WEEKLY: www.hillcrestaustin.org LISTEN TO RECENT SERMONS: Click here. MANAGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTIONS TO OUR EMAIL NEWSLETTERS: Click here. If you do not have access to the web, please send a note to newsmaster@hbcaustin.org to tell us of any changes you would like to make.