“Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying,
“Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”
Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Isaiah 6:8, NASB
Do you ever feel like you’re not good enough? Not for certain people in your life nor for yourself nor even for God for that matter? Isaiah knew what that was like. He knew he wasn’t perfect. He knew he had sin in his life and he had to confess it. He didn’t feel up to the task that God was calling him to perform. He was afraid the people wouldn’t listen to him. He didn’t feel worthy of the task God was putting before him.
Then Isaiah had a vision and saw the Lord and the angels high and lifted up. Seeing this made him feel even more unworthy and not good enough. He realized how sinful he was with no hope of measuring up to God’s holiness. But then the Lord brought forgiveness and cleansing to Isaiah and he submitted to God. That’s where today’s verse comes in.
Heard. He heard the voice of the Lord speaking to him.
Message. What was the message the Lord spoke to Isaiah? The Lord needed someone to go and be a messenger to His people. He asked what appears to be a rhetorical question: Who will go for Us? Who was “Us”? Most likely the Trinity—God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Timing. We don’t know how long it took Isaiah to respond, but the question and the answer are in the same verse, and I’ve always pictured it as an immediate response on Isaiah’s part. He had the vision; then the Lord asked the question; and Isaiah was willing and anxious to go.
Level of commitment. Most of us have a level of commitment in mind when we consent to a task. We tell ourselves we will go so far and that’s it. For some when things get tough, they quit. Isaiah was not one of those. No matter how difficult the task was that God was asking, he was willing to be God’s messenger. He knew that God would meet his needs and he knew that he was powerless and not good enough to be worthy of God’s calling on his life on his own merit.
Volunteer. Isaiah didn’t hesitate to volunteer for the messenger position the Lord posted on the prayer board. He said, “Here am I. Send me!” Are you and I just as willing to raise our hand and volunteer? It may be to help in children’s ministry, lead a missions trip, clean the building, visit sick and shut-ins, or folding the bulletins. You may not be qualified for the task, but God qualifies the called. If He has called you, He will provide what is needed to complete the task. You never have to worry if you are enough. With God, you are always enough because His strength will support you, and He is always enough.
Follow. All we need to do is follow Him wherever He leads us. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He will be our strength, our encouragement, our guide. He will provide for our needs.
Results. Isaiah soon learned that the people would listen but their hearts would not change. God’s patience with His rebellious people was about exhausted. Isaiah must have wondered, why even bother?! There’s always a few people who don’t follow the crowd, and so there were some people who did repent and change, though the majority did not at that time. They were like some of us. We have to get down to the last penny, the last straw, the last glimpse of hope before we turn to God and give our problems and lives to Him.
Waiting. God is waiting with open arms to receive His children. Become like a child and go running into His arms.
In the next post we’ll begin talking about God’s love for us. We’ve already talked about love during Valentine’s Day week, but here we’ll talk more about what God’s love for us is like—its characteristics. Stay tuned as we begin the fourth week of the season of Lent.
PRAYER POINT FOR TODAY:
Lord, as I listen for Your voice and respond, give me the desire, strength, and willingness to take the first step and then the next and the next as I follow where You are sending me.
- Week 1 – temptation
- Week 2 – confession, forgiveness, and fasting
- Week 3 – listening to God and answering when He calls
- Week 4 – God’s love for us
- Week 5 – waiting, anxiety, and trust
- Week 6 – suffering, pain, and struggles
- Easter – resurrection and salvation