“Here Am I, Send Me.”

Over the last fifteen years, I have caught myself saying “this is my favorite passage of scripture” about several passages of scripture. I imagine I am at the point in my Christian faith that I must come to terms with the fact that I have several favorites - however, Isaiah 6: 1-8 is my first love. In Isaiah 6: 1, the prophet says, “I saw also the Lord…”.

Isaiah was a man of wealth and reputation. He had access to the royalty and the priest -he was the type of man that was invited places where the important people were, but he tells us that “In the year king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord…” Isaiah 6: 1 (KJV). Isaiah had been around a lot of people of great power and authority, but now he has met The Man Himself. In verse 5 of that same chapter, Isaiah tells us that upon coming into the presence of God, he realized that he was unworthy and that the people he hung around were also unworthy! When we come into the presence of God, no matter how important we once thought we were; no matter how great folks tell us we are -we should now be able to realize how unworthy we truly are. That is step one.

In verses 6 and 7, Isaiah experiences a process of getting cleaned up and purged of his sins and finds that his iniquities (his wrong-doings) have been taken away. This is step two. After coming into the presence of God; after realizing just how desperately we need to be saved from ourselves, our past acts and sins - then, we are in a position to be cleansed. First the admission of guilt, then the ability to be set free.

Then…

After he encountered the presence of God; after Isaiah realized he was unworthy despite his money and prestigious reputation; after he was purged - only then did Isaiah say that he “heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Isaiah 6:8 (KJV). To which Isaiah responded , “Here am I; send me.”

First, the encounter, then the recognition of unworthiness, then the cleansing, then the establishing of the relationship with God.

This passage of scripture became my very first love because it resonated with me. My first encounter with God was void of the beautiful imagery that Isaiah described, but it was a moment I will never forget. In that moment, I too realized just how unworthy I was, but by the grace of God and the sacrifice of Christ on the cross of Calvary, I was cleansed of my sins and my past sins had been tossed away from God’s memory. I too heard the voice of God asking me to come into relationship with Him.

Whenever I hear someone speaking with all the authority of the land (one particular world leader comes to my mind), speaking of their own power and genius and speaking about everyone else being so far beneath them or simply insignificant - whenever I hear of someone saying that they alone can fix this issue or solve that issue, I immediately understand that this is someone who has NEVER had an encounter with God. When you have an encounter with God, you do not lean on your own understanding - you rely fully on the transformative power of God!

Isaiah 6: 1-8 will always be my first love, and whenever I need to be reminded of my place in this land, I return there. Whenever I need a refresher course on Who called me and why I was sent, I return to my first love. We - you and I, DARE not walk out on our own authority and power. We - you and I, DARE not think that we have any power and authority to walk out on. If you, like me have had an encounter with God then you, like me realize our unworthiness. How can unworthy creatures like us dare think we have the authorization to do it alone. I am only able to be a powerful woman of God and a bold soldier for Christ because of the very Spirit that fuels me. I must seek Him everyday the same way I seek a gas station when my car needs gasoline.

We have no power on our own!

We are but an empty vessel; a hollowed tree; an unclean people that dwell amongst unclean people - except for the grace of God and the knock on our hearts.

Today, God is again looking for a few chosen people to encourage and inspire His people during these uncertain times. I cannot speak for anyone else, but for me, I am like the prophet Isaiah. Here am I, Send me.

Amen.