‘Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!” – Isaiah 6:8 (NIV)
In Isaiah 6:8, there is a moment of divine calling coupled with the human response, as shown in our Primary Scripture above. Isaiah’s response to God’s call is one of complete surrender and willingness.
For context, Isaiah had an encounter with the holiness of God through a vision – angels proclaimed the holiness of God, and the thresholds of the temple shook as they worshipped. (Isaiah 6:1-7). These Scriptures highlight that in a moment of reverence and fear, Isaiah realises his sins and unworthiness. But instead of condemnation, he receives grace as one of the seraphim touches his lips with a coal from the altar, affirming him clean. A transformational encounter followed this affirmation in Verse 8 when God asked, “Whom shall I send?” It was a divine invitation.
God needed to do a redemptive work for the people of Israel amidst their disobedience and idolatry. He was seeking a voice to convey his prophetic message. Isaiah responded with, “Here am I; send me.” This total surrender and readiness to answer God’s call and to fulfil purpose can be challenging for some of us. Let’s answer this question for ourselves – are we responding to God’s call? Are we even listening to His voice amid the noise of our daily schedules?
As we go through our daily routines, it can be challenging to discern what God is asking us to do. But through all the priorities we put above Him, and the distractions of our worldly demands, God’s desire remains unchanged. He continues to search for willing hearts to carry out His mission here on earth, i.e., to love, share the Gospel, serve and represent His truth.
Some transformational truths to answering the call of God:
- To say, “Here am I; send me,” requires us to move out of our comfort zones and confront our fears. It is usually a journey packed with both blessings and challenges. Like Isaiah, we do not know what the mission entails, but our willingness will allow God’s plan to progress through us. We must demonstrate our desire to experience God’s provision, guidance and strength.
- Isaiah’s response is a testament to the disposition of genuine service, not out of obligation or being fearful. It was birthed out of love and a great understanding of God’s goodness. God doesn’t seek perfection, but rather He is interested in our willingness and availability.
- And finally, Isaiah’s response should allow us to reflect on our own readiness to answer God and be used by Him. Are we actively listening for God’s voice? Most importantly, are we prepared to answer when God calls us into action? Isaiah said, “Here am I; send me” with earnestness and courage. Let us allow God to use us as instruments of His love and truth in a world that needs Him and needs to hear from Him.
Send me!
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we commit this day to discerning Your voice. We stand willing to respond with hearts willing to serve. May Your call to us inspire us to action. May a passion be ignited in us to fulfil the Great Commission. We embrace the journey You set before us in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Read: Matthew 20:28; John 12:26
Bible Reading Guide: Proverbs 30:1-10; Revelation 2:1-17; Zechariah 12; Zechariah 13; Zechariah 14