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Isaiah 6.8 - ‘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!”

Reflection

At children’s parties there often comes the moment when a volunteer from the excitable audience is required. ‘I need a volunteer, who can help me with this next activity?’ says the entertainer. You can already picture it, can’t you? Up go the hands, and in unison the cacophony of small voices vying for attention cry out, ‘me’, ‘me’, ‘me’, ‘me’, as the children show their desperation to get in on the action. I love that eagerness, that sense of being in the moment, that pure delight and desire to join in.

I think we see something of that same desire and eagerness in Isaiah who wants to join in with God’s unfolding plans and purposes on earth. Now, of course there are no screaming children. No cake and balloons. No party poppers. It’s a different scene entirely. Instead, a vision of a glorious and vast heavenly throne room with seraphim calling to each other ‘Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty’ (Isaiah 6.3). It is devasting in its scope and scale and naturally leads to Isaiah’s response, ‘woe to me, I am ruined’ (Isaiah 6.5)

Isaiah, in the pure light of God’s holiness, recognises that he is flawed and sinful. He needs God’s forgiveness and grace which is given to him, ‘your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for’ (Isaiah 6.7). And it’s at this moment when God asks for someone to join in with the work of God’s Kingdom. ‘Whom shall I send’ says God. ‘Send me’, says Isaiah.

It's a powerful picture for all of us. It reminds us how God is interested in our holiness. We need to be rightly related to him, and there’s nothing we can do to earn that. This is the gift given to us through Jesus’s life, death and resurrection. Just as the seraphim provided the hot coal which led to Isaiah’s atonement in Isaiah 6.6-7, Jesus offers forgiveness to all who believe and trust.

Isaiah’s example is also a model to us all. God invites Isaiah to join in with God’s work in the world. For Isaiah it was preaching judgement and hope to God’s people (Isaiah 6.9-13), for us it might be setting up a business. Showing up online. Responding to a long held passion in your heart. The point is, when God asks for someone to go, Isaiah was available and ready to go. Are we ready to put up our hands as well?

Isaiah’s willingness to go shows a holy submission and trust in the Lord for his future. Just as there was for Jesus in gethsemane when he says, ‘not my will but yours be done’. This is the heart cry of discipleship: ‘Here am I. Send me’, ‘I’m yours. I’m here for you’.

Action Point

Has that prayer and heart cry that says with Isaiah, ‘Here I am, send me’, grown a little dim or distant for you today? Has the busyness of life crowed around God’s still small voice?

Take a moment to stop and listen to Jesus’ voice today. Recommit yourself afresh to Jesus in that moment and allow the Spirit of God to fill your soul again with living water.

Prayer Point

Father, I am here for you. Not for looking good, not for popularity, or to serve my own ends. Lord I’m here for you. Have your way in me. Do what you want to do, and Lord send me wherever you want to send me.