Isaiah 6:8-13 Send ME
Isaiah’s vision has come to the point where God asks for a volunteer to go to the people for Him. As soon as He asks, Isaiah is ready to go! “Here I am! Send me.”
The seraphim had just cleansed Isaiah’s lips and heart with the coal from the altar when God asked for a volunteer. I have NO doubt that God knew what was just about to come from the mouth of Isaiah; a plea to be the one God sends. He didn’t have to ask a second time, to rephrase the question, or sweeten the pot. Isaiah is READY to go.
God didn’t ask Isaiah if he was “sure” he wanted to volunteer. He didn’t explain everything the job would entail. He didn’t warn him that it would be a hard job. And He didn’t try and talk him out of it. God would use the willing Isaiah.
Isaiah doesn’t have to wait long after volunteering to find out what his mission will be. As soon as God accepts Isaiah’s words of volunteering, He launches into what Isaiah would bring to the people. Words they DID NOT want to hear! Words some would reject, some would bear fruit, and some would sit on the fence until it actually came to pass. Words, that IF actually heeded, would save their lives.
Looking at these words and the criteria for stopping, Isaiah had NO end in sight. Actually, he did have an end but it was not one that would be pleasant for anyone involved. If the people did listen their lives would be MUCH better off. And he would continue preaching that very same message to anyone who would listen; including new generations. God would give Isaiah creative ways to deliver that message but the core meaning was always the same.
I’m a little curious about something. Did God want them to keep them from understanding or was He actually shooting for the opposite? When the people stayed ‘in the dark’ so did Satan. Satan couldn’t derail God’s plan if he didn’t understand it in the first place. I’m pretty sure that a confused Satan WAS part of God’s overall plan. The more he was confused or misdirected the easier it was for God to do His perfect work. Satan REALLY thought that killing Jesus was his way to success.
Ok, something else I’m curious about. If Isaiah had known ALL that was entailed in his calling, would he still have said; “Here I am! Send me”? There were a LOT of hard times in Isaiah’s future but he never turned back from his calling. Did he ever regret saying “Send me”? You can regret a choice without going back on it. Did he ever wonder about the path not taken? Or was his heart so FULL of God’s Spirit that he never once wished for a different life? I suppose that going through this book will answer this question for me.
It’s easy to say yes or no when you have the whole picture. It’s also easy to THINK you know all that is involved. But it’s not always easy to walk out that decision. Even Jesus had a point where He asked for another way. Yet, when there was no other, He marched straight ahead, KNOWING FULL WELL what lay ahead. He KNEW from before time began what would be required because God already had His heart set on creating man. A little like my chicken venture. My mother-in-law wanted chickens and I love her enough that I do all the work so she can enjoy them.
Father God, I want to quickly answer Your call with; “Here I am! Send me.” But I am often afraid that the voice I hear calling might not be Yours. I’m too good at getting myself into trouble, thinking I’m heading out on a path You provided. I have NEVER regretted becoming Your child but I have often regretted getting sidetracked, THINKING I was going the way You wanted me to. I want, with ALL MY HEART, to walk in the ways YOU set out for me from the beginning. I want to say, “Send me” and mean it with NO turning back or doubting.
Help me know Your voice better and better each day! I want to be so familiar with Your voice that I know it the instant You even whisper to me.
