WHO WILL GO?

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.”

Have you ever received one of those phone calls congratulating you on some fabulous vacation that you have won? They usually go something like this: “Congratulations, you have won a cruise, or a Disney vacation, or a 3-day getaway to beautiful Gatlinburg, Tennessee”. Or maybe it is a free stay at some beach resort, but whatever it is; we understand that there is a catch somewhere. Maybe we will have to sit through a sales pitch, or maybe we will have to pay a small reservations fee to lock in our vacation, but we know that there is always a catch. Because we know that the trip will not be all it is cracked up to be, we usually don’t go.

God has sent people to one place or another, and sometimes their journeys weren’t easy, but God always went with them on their journeys. Moses had every reason to go where God sent him and every excuse why he didn’t want to go. In Exodus chapter 13, we read about Moses out tending his father-in-law’s sheep when he saw the burning bush. When God called to him and said, “Moses! Moses!” he replied, “Here I am”.

God then explains that he has seen the misery of the Israelites in Egypt and plans to free them. He tells Moses that he is sending him to Pharaoh to lead the people out. Moses then replies, “Who am I…” Moses says, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it."

In Isaiah chapter 6, Isaiah saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. Isaiah even says that as the seraphs were calling to one another, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty” the doorposts and thresholds shook, and the temple was filled with smoke.

It would be amazing to be in the presence of only these seraphs, but Isaiah was in the presence of God himself. When Isaiah was struck with the realization of where he was and whose presence he was in, he was overcome with fear and woe! He said, “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."

Isaiah had been commissioned by God to speak for him to Judah. Israel and Judah were split at this point, and neither was truly faithful to God. Isaiah had the best job in the world and the worst job. He got to be God’s messenger, and what a privilege it is to speak God’s words. But often, Isaiah was required to speak unpopular messages to the people because they weren’t right with God. When Isaiah said that he was a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips, he was referring to living among God’s chosen people. Isaiah knew that they were unfaithful and deserving of judgment.

But just like Moses, Isaiah was reassured. Moses had God’s explanations and miraculous signs. Isaiah had the seraph that purified him to make him acceptable in God’s presence.

In my eyes, the greatest difference in Moses and Isaiah comes in their replies to God. When God sent Moses, Moses said, “O please Lord, send someone else...”, but when God asked, “Whom shall I send?” Isaiah replied, “Here am I. Send me!”

God is sending you somewhere. It may not be to a foreign land or to an erring nation. He may not be sending you to save the whole world with your blood, but he is sending you with a purpose. What will your response be? Have courage and confidence in a faithful God. Be ready and willing to follow God wherever he leads.