It’s true that God wants to use you to impact the whole world. Doesn’t seem possible on the daily though, does it? An alarming amount of believers hear that today and say ‘yes’, but deep down they feel ‘no’. How could God use me to make a world impact?
Isaiah 6.8 says— “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”
Let’s start with the obvious… “also” means this isn’t the first thing Isaiah was told, by the voice of God, no less. Let that sink in. Isaiah was spoken to by God for (in our timeline) 5 chapters. The most recent encounter was in this chapter 6 we are in. He was just given a vision of who God really is and saw God has we should… He’s the King of the Universe. He’s also personally speaking with a man named Isaiah… amazing!
The Isaiah vision and exchange in chapter 6 shows the progression of our own encounters with God… you come to Him on His terms not your’s. He was first confronted with who God really is, which immediately exposes not only our own inadequacy, but also our sin. Isaiah was convicted and spoke out. Isaiah was purged by God (coal off of altar). Then, and only then, was the verse 8 encounter engaged. Once we have come clean and had an honest moment of repentance… God can use that vessel.
Now to verse 8 specifically— “Also I heard the voice of the Lord…”This is where it begins. Are you listening to the voice of God? We have so many things distracting us from the voice of God. Too many things, too loud, too often. Have you surrendered your attention to Him? Isaiah surrendered His tongue, now His ear. Both seem necessary for God to have our attention. God said— “Whom shall I send, who will go for us…” “Us” here is more than one, it indicates the Trinity. God is serious about people’s souls. So serious that He evokes His wholeness to get our attention about it. According to John 12.41 the entire exchange with God here is a vision of His full glory; God almighty in His holy glory is asking this question. There isn’t anything held back and desires full focus. God is being God here and there are no shadows or mysteries… He is being clear! It’s not an appeal from some traveling evangelist or a Pastor wanting people to ‘step up.’ Someone had to go for God and voice a warning of destruction to come. Only God can call and only God can send. He is elevating this calling before Isaiah and expects us to understand how focused He is on this. If God doesn’t author the sending of the person then they better not go. The phrase “go for” means to be the ambassador of, to speak in behalf of. This is an awesome responsibility, not to be gone into lightly. Have you surrender to God’s need for help?
Next in the verse 8 exchange is Isaiah’s response— “Here am I, send me…”You may be saying… ‘I am absolutely undone and unworthy. I have no pedigree for God’s work. I have nothing to offer worth anything.’ That’s the point. He doesn’t want pedigree, He wants you. He wants us to surrender ourselves, our will. He understands, more than we do, our hangups and baggage. He has consistently chosen those who we wouldn’t. Noah was a drunk; Abraham was too old and his wife laughed too much; Isaac was a daydreamer; Jacob was a liar and had a limp; Leah was ugly; Joseph was arrogant and was a victim of domestic abused; Moses was a murderer and had a stuttering problem; Gideon was afraid; Samson had long hair and was a womanizer; Rahab was a prostitute; Jeremiah and Timothy were too young; David had an affair and was a murderer; Elijah was suicidal; Isaiah preached naked; Jonah ran from God and was whale vomit; Naomi was a widow; Job went bankrupt and lost his whole family; John the Baptist ate bugs and carried a fanny pack; Peter denied Christ and cursed; The Disciples fell asleep while praying; Martha worried about everything; The Samaritan woman was divorced; more than once; Zaccheus was too small; Paul was too religious; Timothy had an ulcer; and Lazarus was dead. God usually picks those of us whom no one else would. Why? Those are the ones who demonstrate God’s glory and have nothing to glory of themselves.
Look here at the willingness of Isaiah— “Here am I“. Makes me think of a kid in class with his hand up and bouncing in his seat… pick me! Have you surrendered your will lately? Your…self? He desires us to represent Him in this world. He desires us to give the Gospel. He desires us to speak the Gospel. Will you? The call is personal. The response is personal. Everything about this is personal!
Verse 8 says— “Then said I…”Verbal acknowledgement. A man named Isaiah said ‘yes, I surrender’. Would you? Or will we do what we do every day— ‘IF you need anything… let me know’, instead of ‘yes, I want to, let me’. If it came right down to it would you surrender your heart, plans, and will to Jesus if He asked? Well, He is asking. So what is the Lord wanting from you? God is looking for a total surrender. If you know you should.. stop now and do it. If you aren’t there yet… may I suggest that you do as Isaiah and get a fresh encounter with Him.