Isaiah 6:8 "Then I heard the voice of Adonai saying: "Whom should I send and who will go for Us?" So I said, "Hineni (Here am I). Send me."
And as they say, famous last words! What I love about this passage of Scripture is that Isaiah doesn't just casually say this statement when He hears the Lord ask, "Who should I send?". Isaiah was already a prophet. He was already walking in a measure of the Spirit that was unusual to most people. And when we get to Chapter 6 we read about this incredible encounter Isaiah has with the Lord. He is completely broken. He sees God and is ruined! He instantly sees his human weakness, his sin and his inadequacy. He is cleansed by a burning coal from the altar and then God asks this question. I imagine that's how many of us accept the call of God on our lives. We encounter God. He touches our lives in such a way and we become so transformed by Him that He asks us a simple, yet loaded, question. How can you say no?! No is no longer an option when you encounter the Living God! And something miraculous happens when the response is, "Here am I. Send me." No matter how difficult the task ahead may be, and Isaiah was told up front that no one would listen to him, we still gladly accept the mission. It reminds me of the quote by David Livingstone when he said, "If a commission by an earthly king is considered an honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?" His grace is sufficient to accomplish what He asks of us.
Over the past week and half as I've had a few conversations with people regarding the current situation in Israel I am often asked why in the world I want to be there now. The nation is in war. Rocket sirens are going off an average of every 10 minutes somewhere in the country. When I encountered God and He changed my entire life I said yes. Yes to whatever He would ask of me. No matter the cost, the answer is yes. I can't even say yes without Him. Many people have the same stories. It's why missionaries all over the world will put themselves in crazy and even dangerous situations. The deeper I go in God, the deeper this surrender becomes. I can remember a few years back when I heard a couple that live in Israel that if they were ever in the US and war broke out in Israel they would be on the first plane back. At the time I admired them but I couldn't have made that statement and I knew I was called to Israel at that time. I couldn't identify. Fast forward a few years and a life changing summer in Israel later, I can now definitively say that I identify. I would give anything to be in Israel right now. It's because by His Spirit I can say yes and continue to say yes.
The deeper we go with God, the deeper the burdens will go and the more surrendered we become. The more in love with God we become the more we are compelled to follow Him to wherever He leads. He ruins our lives, shatters us, asks us to do the impossible and then when we simply say yes He pours out His grace and strength to accomplish the impossible mission. The deeper we go into His heart, the deeper we want to go. This is what changes the earth. God having a people who are completely in love with Him, burning with His passion and then spreading that fire to the ends of earth. I want to be counted among those that burn their whole lives and die burning with passion for Him! Who's with me?
The song that has been on repeat tonight and inspired this blog Isaiah 6 featuring Lindy
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