“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!’” (Isaiah 6:8)
By Jim Ganther
It was the last Saturday of August 1983, and I went to the afternoon Mass at our local parish with my parents so I could leave the next morning and start my senior year at the University of Notre Dame. Pretty routine stuff.
At the offertory, we sang the hymn, “Here I Am, Lord.” Based on the sixth chapter of Isaiah, it had a catchy tune…and it caught me. This time, I was in the song. God was posing the central question to a 21-year-old college senior.
After Mass, I sobbed harder than I have ever sobbed in my life. I was sure I was somehow being invited to respond with a “yes,” and if I did, I would be sent.
When I arrived in the fall for my final year at Notre Dame, Operation Urgent Fury unfolded, toppling a Marxist regime in Grenada. I was on track to graduate in May with a degree in finance and I had several job offers in the financial services industry. Life looked normal again.
Then I was asked to go to Grenada for a year and help re-evangelize that island nation. I said “yes,” and instantly connected that invitation with what I had experienced in church.
That one “yes” changed the course of my entire career. I applied to law schools from Grenada and ultimately got accepted back at Notre Dame. I started my career with a large east coast law firm and was doing well … when I got another invitation to support the growth of a Christian community in Tampa, Florida. I said “yes” again.
A pattern formed: Build something and then give it up for uncertainty, toil, and ultimately something bigger and better. All of this proves what God can do with an ordinary guy and a willing heart.
Pray
Heavenly Father, grant me the grace to say yes to your will, no matter what and with no assurance what your will might be.
Reflect
Do I qualify my Yes? Do I tell the Lord, “Yes, if?”
Discuss
Has there ever been a time that you told the Lord, “I’ll follow you anywhere?”
Jim Ganther is an attorney, entrepreneur, and captain of a competitive BBQ team. He and his wife, Melissa, have seven children and three grandchildren.