DEVOTION – DAY 295

Isaiah 6:8 “Send Me!”

 

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!”

 

In 740BC, the year that King Uzziah died from leprosy, the prophet Isaiah had a vison. He saw God seated on His throne in heaven, high and exalted. Isaiah heard the Lord asking “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Without hesitation, Isaiah responded, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah was willing to answer to God’s call without even asking what it was that God wanted him to do. Isaiah was willing to trust God, that when God calls someone, God would equip that person for him to carry out his service to God. This is a good example for Christians to follow.

 

Unlike Isaiah’s immediate response to God’s call, there are Christians today who drag their feet when they are asked to serve God. Some would respond by saying, “They would have to check their schedule to see if they have the time to answer the call to serve.” Some would say that they felt that they were not ready, or that they thought that there were others who were better equipped to serve, than they were. Some would reply, “Not now, maybe later.” Sadly, there are more people ready to give excuses and reasons not to answer the call to serve, than there are people willing the follow the footsteps of Isaiah and say, “Hear am I. Send me!” Those who failed to respond to the call to serve, will miss the blessings that comes with serving the Lord. They will miss the opportunity to depend upon the Lord and experience Him at a deeper level. Service to the Lord means dependence upon Him and it always brings blessings and deepens our relationship with Him.

 

A woman was called to lead in a ministry. She was fearful but agreed to pray about the matter. When it was time for her to respond about serving, she could think of many reasons why she was not ready. Yet, she had no peace in her heart. In the end, she reluctantly agreed to serve and lead when asked to do so. Looking back, she was glad she agreed because she matured spiritually. She became confident. She saw how others grew spiritually as she shepherded them. She realized she would have missed such great blessings had she given in to her fears and insecurities and declined God’s call for her.

 

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, You are faithful and when You call us, You will equip us to serve. Please help us to set aside our fears and insecurities and to respond willingly and without reservations to Your call for us. We humbly ask this in the powerful name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

Questions

  1. What is your natural reaction when someone ask you to lead or to serve in a ministry in church?
  2. Why do you react like that? What fears and anxieties do you have about serving the Lord?
  3. How has this devotion helped you to have confidence in the Lord that when He calls you, He will equip you?
  4. How have you been blessed by the Lord when you answered His call to serve in the past? Share. How will your past experiences encourage you to respond like Isaiah to God’s call to serve?