Here Am I, Send Me! - Isahia Profile

Here Am I, Send Me! The prophet Isaiah was active during the reign of five different Old Testament kings yet he did not set out to be a prophet. By the time King Uzziah died around 740 BC, Isaiah was most probably already working as a scribe in the Royal palace in Jerusalem. It was a respectable career but God had other plans for him. Isaiah’s account of God’s call on his life leaves little doubt as to what motivated the prophet during his 60+ years of ministry. The Vision His vision of God in Chapter 6 of the book was life-changing and unforgettable. In awe of the holiness of God, he cried out “I am ruined!” Realising his sin in the presence of the Lord Almighty, he felt utterly unclean. God responded with His mercy and grace as fire from the altar touched Isaiah’s lips and his guilt was removed, his sin atoned for. It was at this point that Isaiah heard the Lord ask the definitive question facing every Christian today – “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" His famous response was “Here am I. Send me!” This encounter with God permanently affected Isaiah’s persona. He began to reflect the God he represented in holiness, humility and passion. He was bold and spoke with purpose and perspective. His messages were sometimes comforting, sometimes confronting. When God called Isaiah, He did not promise him great success. He simply gave him a task to do and Isaiah chose to respond obediently. God even warned him that the people would not listen! What’s your career-plan looking like? You may have set out to be successful in business, sports or the arts. You may be planning to be the best husband, wife, mother or father that you can be. Yet it could just be that God has an infinitely bigger plan for you. Just as he called Isaiah to be a prophet, the Lord’s calling is for you to be a disciple, His disciple and to follow His footsteps. No Easy Journey Some will tolerate your faith as they initially did with Isaiah but after a while anyone living out a no-compromise lifestyle will face choppy waters, testing times, faith-stretching, lonely, arduous periods. It’s not an attractive job description! It probably even cost Isaiah his life. Many missionaries endure the same difficulties that Isaiah faced. The Gospel is preached to thousands of people yet there is no apparent response, no fruits for the labour. In some cases missionaries have had to wait decades for even the slightest sign of change from the people they have been sent to reach. Isaiah’s life is an example to us all. His patience, endurance and self-control under trial are a challenge. And of course, Isaiah (the book) is an ongoing witness that has blessed literally millions of people, challenging, encouraging and inspiring by his life of faithfulness and the words the Lord gave him to say. The task of reaching the unreached around the world will get done. That’s God’s promise! You may preach the Gospel, witness to your friends and family, hand out tracts and even travel the world over telling others about Jesus. You might never see a single response. But don't give up. It is not your talents, looks, intelligence or strength. It is your willingness to do all that He has asked, your obedience to His commands. The rest is up to Him. In doing that, you will ‘eat the best of the land’ (Isaiah 1:19) Sacrifice? What sacrifice? It’s a life of privilege!