Reflection: Here I Am

Broadcast on Nevis Radio:

As artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT become more sophisticated, it’s getting harder to distinguish real from fake, and fundamental questions arise: What makes us human? What gives our lives meaning? A recent Pew Research study found that 70% of young adults are questioning their life’s purpose.

Let me share something personal. When I’m feeling lost in the digital noise, I often turn to a simple prayer practice that’s centuries old. It starts with three whispered words: “Here I am.” That’s how Moses responded when God called him from the burning bush. It’s how Samuel responded in the temple. It’s how Isaiah responded when he heard God’s voice. Three simple words – Here I am.

Try it yourself. Find a quiet moment. A really good time is before you check your phone in the morning, or before your first cup of coffee, perhaps even before you get out of bed. A post it note helps me to remember! 

Just sit and say those words: “Here I am.” Then add what’s really on your heart. “Here I am, feeling uncertain about my future.” “Here I am, wondering if what I do matters.” “Here I am, searching for meaning beyond my screen time.” “Here I am, not knowing what’s best for my kids.”

How might your day change if you started it with ‘Here I am’ instead of checking your notifications?

Tech companies are spending billions trying to replicate human connection through AI companions and virtual reality. But prayer offers something no algorithm can ever match – genuine dialogue with our creator. God is personal, not mechanical. When we pray, we’re not talking to a chatbot programmed to give us more of what we want to hear – we’re connecting with the source of all meaning.

Think about Jesus’s encounters with individuals – Nicodemus coming at night with all his doubts, a Samaritan woman bringing her complicated life story to the well. These were real conversations that changed lives. 

Prayer breaks through the digital echo chamber. It reminds us that we’re more than our digital footprint, more than cat videos, more than superficial likes, more than internet outrage, more than a carefully curated image of ourselves.

There are words that are thousands of years old, yet still make meaning today. Psalm 139: “Search me, O God, and know my heart.” While Google might know your browsing habits, God knows our true selves and – because of it…. or maybe despite it – loves us completely. Prayer offers purpose not through optimisation but through relationship, not through calculation… but through love.

I’m grateful to you for listening and Nevis Radio for the opportunity to chat. I’ll see you around, and in the meantime… keep praying! Here I am!