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
In the margin of my Bible, beside Isaiah 6:8, I wrote “Yes! Here I am! Send me!”
I was sincere when I wrote the words back in 2013, and each time I’ve read the verse over the past decade, I reconfirm my commitment. I want to be like Isaiah, willing to be commissioned by God for service.
That is…until the rubber met the road and the Lord asked me to do something I didn’t see coming. His request sent me into my prayer closet, seeking wisdom and discernment, especially since He has had me in a season of learning to say no.
I thought about Isaiah. He had just seen the Lord in a vision; heard voices shake the Temple to its foundations and seen it filled with smoke; realized he was a sinful man before a holy God; had his lips touched with a burning coal; and had a seraphim declare his guilt removed and his sins forgiven. So when he heard the voice of the Lord ask, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Isaiah responded, “Here am I. Send me!” God commissioned Isaiah as a messenger to His people. Isaiah was obedient.
In Genesis 22:1, the Lord called to Abraham and Abraham responded, “Here I am.” The Lord instructed him to take his only son, Issac, to the land of Moriah and offer him as a burnt offering. Abraham was obedient.
Jacob, in Genesis 31, had been dealing with his unscrupulous father-in-law for years. Then in a dream, the angel of the Lord called to him. Jacob responded, “Here I am.” The angel instructed him to return to the land of his birth. Jacob was obedient.
Exodus 3 tells the story of Moses going about his daily shepherding duties, when God called to him from the midst of a burning bush, “Moses, Moses!” Moses answered, “Here I am.” The Lord had seen the oppression of His people and had chosen Moses to lead His people out of Egypt. Moses protested; he didn’t feel qualified to do what God was asking him to do. However, Moses was obedient.
Young Samuel, while serving the Lord under the supervision of the Eli, was awaken when the Lord called him (1 Samuel 3). Samuel responded, “Here I am,” and thinking it was Eli, ran to him. The Lord called a second and third time; each time Samuel responded with “Here I am” and went to Eli. Eli realized it was the Lord calling Samuel and instructed the boy on what to do when the Lord called again. When the Lord called, “Samuel! Samuel!,” Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.” The Lord revealed what He was going to do. The next morning, Eli asked Samuel to tell him what the Lord had said. Samuel was obedient.
In Acts 9:10, the Lord spoke, in a vision, to a disciple in Damascus, “Ananias.” Ananias said, “Here I am, Lord.” The Lord instructed Ananias to go to a man named Saul and lay hands on him, so that his vision would be restored. Ananias knew Saul’s reputation, but when the Lord revealed His plan for Saul, Ananias was obedient.
As I pondered my inked words, I realized that while I am genuine in my desire to respond, I had not considered what those five words may require of me.
Like Abraham, am I willing to sacrifice something I consider precious? Am I willing to trust God when it doesn’t make sense?
Like Jacob, while the Lord may not tell me to physically relocate, am I willing to move around my priorities and make a major change to my familiar, and comfortable, way of life?
Like Moses, if God’s call comes in an unexpected way, and the task seems impossible, will I offer up excuses or trust Him to equip me for the challenge?
Like Samuel, when God calls, will my response be to run to him without hesitation?
Like Ananias, am I willing to be used by God to accomplish His plan?
And like Isaiah, am I willing to go, even when I don’t know the details?
When God calls, am I willing to be obedient?
Yes, Lord. Here I am. Send me!