Tattoos and Christmas

As we drove home from an early Christmas celebration in Arizona with our Mace family (including a surprise visit from our soldier-son, Adam), Bay and I tuned into a radio talk show to pass the time.

My precious game-loving family (missing our Steph)

One of the random discussions somehow came around to tattoos. The host began to ask his guests what their choice would be for a tattoo if they decided to get one (hypothetically speaking, of course).

I didn't have to think too long, or hard, about that one. I know what I'd choose.

Now, the thing is, I will never get a tattoo:
1) I don't like pain!
2) My skin is getting too saggy and papery as I age, so it would look terrible and unshapely in not too many months.
3) I, personally, don't see the reason...
4) I don't like pain!

Strange, then (right?), that I would know what my choice would be?

I would pick a Hebrew word that looks like this:

Transliterated in English it is the word "hineni."

It's a powerful word that means: "Here I am" or "behold."

It's not used in the sense of a roll call, as in "present."

It has a much deeper meaning, as in "I'm here and I'm all in."

Isaiah may have expressed "hineni best," when he said, "Here I am, send me."

Moses said it...eventually.

Abraham used it, and meant, "Whatsoever you ask, wherever you tell me to go..."

Samuel used hineni, when he said, "Your servant is listening."

Mary used it, too:  "Behold, I'm your hand-maiden. So be it unto me."

In a sense it means, "I'm here...I'm present"...then adds, "ready for action."

It is summed up in Jonathan's words to David in 1 Samuel 20:4:  "tell me what your soul desires and I will do it for you."

Hineni is best defined as devoted readiness, unconditional action (my definition).

Now then, the best part of "hineni" is this: God doesn't just expect us to do all the responding. He has said it first to us. He is hineni: our ever--present help in times of trouble...the I-am-everything-you-need-me-to-be. He is Immanuel: God with us.

Jesus looked at the blind man and said, "Hineni (inferred in Greek)...Here I am, what do you want me to do for you?"

Hineni is an AMAZING Christmas word.

The angel used it in the fields with the shepherds:  "Hineni (Behold), I bring you tidings of great joy. Today in Bethlehem, a Savior has been born and He is Christ, the Lord."

In fact, hineni is the essence of the Christmas story.

Jesus came to be present.
He came ready to act on our behalf.
No matter what it cost;
And, it cost Him a great deal.
Yet, he counted the cost, and the result was worth it to Him, because He is LOVE:

Jesus' hineni meant my salvation.

The least I can do is respond back: "Hineni..."

This Christmas, my hineni is the best gift I can give on Jesus' birthday.

We don't have to wrap it up in flowery words or bag it in Christmas packaging...it just has to come from heart.

And, should you be one who is looking at a tattoo to give yourself this Christmas, would you get this one on my behalf (only, may it come from your heart)...then send me a picture.