Whom Shall I Send?

scribes his calling this way: "And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then I said, 'Here I am! Send me.'" (Isaiah 6:8)

The immediate answer by Isaiah to the question "Whom shall I send" has always been astounding to me. He didn't know the specifics of what he just volunteered for, or the degree of what he would be called to do. Nevertheless, he answered swiftly and assuredly, "Here I am, send me."

Dear reader, has God ever called you to do something for him? It doesn't have to be to the degree of what he called Isaiah to do. I'm curious, how did you answer that call? Was it with hesitation or stammering, beginning to negotiate with the Almighty?

What if when we are called by God to do whatever it is he asks, we immediately respond with: "YES! I will do it... What is it?", instead of asking what it is and then answering. Let's say yes first, and then obey whatever it is God asks.

I'll be honest with you – I'm not writing this from a moral high ground where this isn't a struggle for me. I'm more prone to negotiating the terms of my calling rather than giving an answer similar to Isaiah's.

The call from God could be anything. Perhaps it could be to deny yourself and to put your family first. Maybe it could be taking that job offer even though the pay is half of what you're making now.

Maybe to show love to that person you find unlovable. Perhaps even to simply listen to a loved one who is struggling and just needs an ear to listen. It may be personal between you and God or a more public calling to step up in your community.

It can often be hard to discern whether God is calling you at all. The call isn't typically writing in the sky or an audible voice telling you to go. Often in the quiet you'll just know when it happens, like the soft whisper like we read in 1 Kings 19:11-13 when God spoke to Elijah. In whatever way God calls out to you, I hope your answer will be a resounding "YES! I will do it... What is it?"

I challenge you dear reader to join me in answering God first, then obeying his calling, no matter what it is. It may be scary or perhaps even dangerous, but what I can say for sure is that it will be worth it. Have faith that God will call you and have the resolve to answer swiftly and assuredly.