“Then I heard the Lord asking, ‘Whom shall I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go?’ And I said, ‘Lord, I’ll go! Send me.’” Isaiah 6:8
By Shannon Pederson
“I the Lord of sea and sky…” So begins one of the most popular pieces of modern liturgical music. A poll conducted by the National Association of Pastoral Musicians found among members that "Here I Am, Lord" came in second among "songs that make a difference". The number one song was “Amazing Grace.” It is also a song we have sung often during church service.
In 1981, a young Jesuit, Dan Schutte, was studying theology in Berkeley, California. A friend came to him one day and asked for a favor. He wanted Schutte to write a song for an ordination ceremony based on the text of Isaiah chapter 6. He saw the look of shock on Schutte’s face when he announced that the ceremony was only three days away. The friend was encouraging and assured Schutte he could complete something in time for the ordination.
Schutte had always loved the particular Scripture passage (Isaiah 6) where God calls Isaiah to be his servant and messenger to the people and Isaiah responds with both hesitation and doubt, but also with a humble willingness to surrender to God. If it was going to work, it would have to be God's power and grace making it happen. Much like Isaiah, Schutte was not very sure that he could meet the request his friend had made, but he was willing to try. Sitting at his desk with a blank music score in front of him and asking God to be his strength, he also remembered the call of Samuel, where God came calling in the middle of the night and asked Samuel to do something beyond what he thought he was capable of.
He worked for two days on the piece and remembers being exhausted. He was still making last minute changes to the score as he walked it over to his friend who lived several blocks away. Schutte hoped that it would be OK and what his friend had wanted for the ordination. It was more than OK. From the very beginning, people loved the piece and clearly identified with the dialogue between God and us that is the core of the song.
For Schutte, the story of “Here I Am, Lord” tells of the God who overshadows us, giving power to our stumbling words and the simple works of our hands, and making them into something that can be a grace for people. The power God gives is far beyond what we could have planned or created.
“I the Lord of sea and sky…” So begins one of the most popular pieces of modern liturgical music. A poll conducted by the National Association of Pastoral Musicians found among members that "Here I Am, Lord" came in second among "songs that make a difference". The number one song was “Amazing Grace.” It is also a song we have sung often during church service.
In 1981, a young Jesuit, Dan Schutte, was studying theology in Berkeley, California. A friend came to him one day and asked for a favor. He wanted Schutte to write a song for an ordination ceremony based on the text of Isaiah chapter 6. He saw the look of shock on Schutte’s face when he announced that the ceremony was only three days away. The friend was encouraging and assured Schutte he could complete something in time for the ordination.
Schutte had always loved the particular Scripture passage (Isaiah 6) where God calls Isaiah to be his servant and messenger to the people and Isaiah responds with both hesitation and doubt, but also with a humble willingness to surrender to God. If it was going to work, it would have to be God's power and grace making it happen. Much like Isaiah, Schutte was not very sure that he could meet the request his friend had made, but he was willing to try. Sitting at his desk with a blank music score in front of him and asking God to be his strength, he also remembered the call of Samuel, where God came calling in the middle of the night and asked Samuel to do something beyond what he thought he was capable of.
He worked for two days on the piece and remembers being exhausted. He was still making last minute changes to the score as he walked it over to his friend who lived several blocks away. Schutte hoped that it would be OK and what his friend had wanted for the ordination. It was more than OK. From the very beginning, people loved the piece and clearly identified with the dialogue between God and us that is the core of the song.
For Schutte, the story of “Here I Am, Lord” tells of the God who overshadows us, giving power to our stumbling words and the simple works of our hands, and making them into something that can be a grace for people. The power God gives is far beyond what we could have planned or created.
I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin,
My hand will save.
Chorus
Here am I, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
I, who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?
Chorus
I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them.
They turn away.
Chorus
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my words to them.
Whom shall I send?
Chorus
I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will send the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them.
My hand will save.
Chorus
Finest bread I will provide,
'Til their hearts be satisfied.
I will give my life to them.
Whom shall I send?
Chorus
I
Schutte later went on to write over 120 hymns. He continues to be one of the most influential composers of contemporary liturgical music today
“And he said, ‘Yes, go. But tell my people this: Though you hear my words repeatedly, you won’t understand them. Though you watch and watch as I perform my miracles, still you won’t know what they mean.’” Isaiah 6:9