Here Am I

Isaiah 6:8 "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"

I think we all ask this type of question at some point in our lives. We are looking for whom it is God is calling when the honest truth is we should be looking in the mirror for that person. We need to own up to that call sometimes in life. There are times that that call is for us. We need to heed that call despite our fears and hesitations about the unknowns. It is okay to be nervous about where God is leading us or calling us to go.

Sometimes God's call leads us to the road less-traveled. Sometimes it's that all too familiar road. Always it is a call to a journey of faith. We have to follow His call trusting that He will provide. This doesn't mean that the trip will be easy. And it definitely does not mean to sit back on our haunches and wait for God to make it all work.

God's call in our lives may change. He may take us from one career to another. His call may lead us to a different hometown. His will may be for us to be right where we are. Whatever the message, we have to be ready and willing to hear it. And, at times, we have to accept that perhaps God's plan for our lives is not one in the same as our own plan.

I feel that there is nothing wrong asking God about His plan for us. But, we must be prepared to hear His answer, whether it is one we like or not.

Have you ever felt those prompts to do things? Take for example this: You have the talent, gift, of singing but have not chosen to commit to singing in the choir. Or yet another: You desire and long for a time of Christian fellowship and Bible study but have not volunteered to set up a study or have not committed to attending one. Another prompt could be the gift and love of working with children but you have not volunteered your services in that direction.

Or, the "prompt/nudge" could be bigger. It could be that you feel the push to move into another career. Or, it could be that the career that seems to have chosen you requires sacrifices: money, time, etc.

These prompts or nudges are not just some gut instinct. In my heart, I feel that they are provided by God as road signs to lead us in the right direction on our journey on the road of life. Just like a journey, we can end up on a detour or attempt some sort of a short cut. And, just like on a trip, we could end up lost.

We need to remember that God provides road maps for us through the Scriptures. He provides gas station attendant assistance/information in the form of trusted Christian persons. He does not send us out on this trip without preparation. He does not turn us loose with no assistance or counsel. But, He also does not do the work for us. He gives us what we need for the journey; we have to choose to use it.

I don't necessarily have a song that spoke to my heart for this entry. The Scripture passage is what grabbed my attention. As I have begun to face many cross-roads in my own life, I am reminded of Isaiah's commissioning. When God asked whom He should send, Isaiah stepped up to the plate and said, "Here am I. Send me!" I am forced to evaluate where God is calling me in life as a wife, as a mother, as a leader, as a follower.

Have you thought of that lately? Where is God calling you in life? Are you listening for Him? And if He calls, will you heed his direction? And one last thought, are you ready to answer as Isaiah did with "Here Am I. Send me!"?

"If you want to know what God wants you to do--ask Him and He will gladly tell you."
James 1:15