Calling

In 2023, I was desperately reading God’s words to search for the answer to my suffering. One day at noon, I heard the Lord say to me, “Here I am,” but I didn’t understand what He meant. That day, on my way home, I encountered two homeless people who directly asked me for money. The first one was on the subway platform, and I rejected him. The second one was near my home, on my way back from the station. I felt God gave me a second chance to do what I should do, and I gave her 5 Euros for food.

 

Later at home, I decided to continue reading scriptures, so I chose the book of Isaiah. In the middle of Isaiah 30, I found great comfort in verses 20-21: And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.

 

I still felt led to finish the entire book of Isaiah that evening. So, I continued to Isaiah 58 and saw that very verse, “Here I am,” in verse 9, with the context of true fasting, helping the poor and loosening the bonds of wickedness.

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Isaiah 58:6-12

6“Is not this the fast that I choose:

to loose the bonds of wickedness,

to undo the straps of the yoke,

to let the oppressed go free,

and to break every yoke?

7Is it not to share your bread with the hungry

and bring the homeless poor into your house;

when you see the naked, to cover him,

and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,

and your healing shall spring up speedily;

your righteousness shall go before you;

the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

9Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;

you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’

If you take away the yoke from your midst,

the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,

10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry

and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,

then shall your light rise in the darkness

and your gloom be as the noonday.

11And the Lord will guide you continually

and satisfy your desire in scorched places

and make your bones strong;

and you shall be like a watered garden,

like a spring of water,

whose waters do not fail.

12 And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;

you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;

you shall be called the repairer of the breach,

the restorer of streets to dwell in.