One of the most quoted scriptures relating to missions is Isaiah 6: 1-8. The prophet Isaiah sees a vision of God seated on his throne in his holiness. Isaiah comes to understand how unclean he is in the sight of God so He sends an angel with a live coal to purify Isaiah's lips. God says, "Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?" Isaiah says, "Here am I. Send me!' Immediately God gives Isaiah his request.
Like the rest of us who sign up to follow God and be his ambassadors to the world, I doubt that Isaiah realized what he had signed up for. As soon Isaiah said, "Here am I. Send me!" God sends Isaiah with a terrible message to Israel.
God also called Isaiah to do some strange things to get the message across to Israel. Isaiah had a son he named Shear-Jashub which translated "a remnant will return" which I am sure held just a little comfort for the terrible visions Isaiah had been having of what was to come to pass for Israel. The second son he named Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz which did not hold so pleasant a meaning. "Shazzy's" name was a prophecy from God that before he could talk, one of Israel's enemy would be plundered.
As I was reading yesterday I came across the vision where God told Isaiah to "Take off the sackcloth from your body and sandals from your feet." ( Isaiah 20:2) So Isaiah walked around in the most a loincloth for 3 years!
When I came across this passage yesterday I had to ask myself, "If God asked me to do that would I?" Would I walk around barefoot in my underwear for three years if God asked me to? When Isaiah said,"Here am I. Send me !" Do you think he knew what he was signing up for? But we are called to be ambassadors of Christ to reconcile people to God ( 2 Corinthians 5:20-21). So when I say to God, "Use me." I better mean it because he will do just that in ways I cannot even imagine. He might have my husband play in a band that takes a lot of time and money but effectively reaches many young people for Christ. He might have me work in a difficult place so others might see and hear the truth. He might send me to camps where my husband and I minister to youth by wild and crazy games. So yes, Lord, Here am I. Send me!
