Heaven’s Heartbeat - Where Are You?

Sunday night church services used to be as common as Wonder Bread in America.

Altars were common, too. I remember the solid walnut altars—dark, rich, brown—one on the left and one on the right at the front of the sanctuary.

As everyone knew, the altars were the places to meet God.

In the church where I grew up, the pastor would “open the altars” at the end of every service and people always responded to Jesus, through the “altar call.”

Some people prayed silently, while others quietly appealed to Jesus for help. Some wept, others prayed for an extended time, standing or kneeling.

There are many things I don’t remember about the sermons and Sunday night church. I do remember a kind old widower seated on the pew next to us, offering me a large, white spearmint Lifesaver. I remember feeling the peculiar awareness of what the pastor called the “presence of the Lord” as we sang, “Jesus, Jesus…there is something about that Name.”

I recall the night that a guest preacher called me and two other boys up to the altar, announcing to us, “God has called you to His ministry and service.” I remember how it was kind of scary hearing words that seemed so large and mysterious to my young mind.

And I had no idea what that calling meant.

The only “callings” I was familiar with were when Mom called us kids to wash our hands before supper—or the times I was called into the principal’s office for messing up or breaking the rules. My experience with callings were simple; some were good, and some not so good.

But God’s calling? I wasn’t sure about that.

It wasn’t until I was 24 that I heard for myself, in my surrendered heart while praying, that Jesus was calling me to fulfill my purpose for Him. And even then it was still a mystery, and still scary. But at that moment, I was willing to answer the call. I said, “Yes.”

In Genesis 3, the Lord called out to Adam, “Where are you?”

That was the first question in the Bible. Maybe the first recorded question in history. And God didn’t ask it because He didn’t know where Adam was hiding. He knew.

He also knew that Adam didn’t know where Adam was. Separation from the God he loved had completely disoriented him. And when men and women don’t know where they are, it generally means they don’t know how they got there or where they’re going. All that Adam knew in that terrible moment was that he was naked, vulnerable and suddenly afraid of his Best Friend.

Imagine getting a call from some friend on their way to visit your house. Your friend says, “I guess I took a wrong turn. I’m lost and don’t know how to find you.”

What is the first question you ask your lost friend? “Where are you?”

Once you learn your friend’s location, you can give directions. But not if your friend hangs up on you!

In the book of Jonah, we read about a prophet who had clear directions from God—an unmistakable call—but refused to listen. In fact, he ran the other way. The good news is that (after some uncomfortable events) God called him again. And this time Jonah said, “Yes.”

Sunday night church is rare these days, and the altars have been removed from many church sanctuaries. Things change, and I get that. But I can’t help noticing that on the wider stage of the American Church, I rarely hear words or messages about being “called by God.”

Even so, God hasn’t stopped calling people into ministry—into changing course—into an eternal relationship with Himself. And when people try to hide from Him or shut Him out of their thoughts, He still calls, “Where are you?”

Jesus is calling you. Right now. And He offers His covering, His acceptance, His direction and His anointing. He will put you in the right space, at the right time, doing the right thing in the right way, just as He intended for you before the world began.

No one can take your place.

- Micah