Subscription Lists
Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
Isaiah was not the first reluctant prophet; Moses had reservations about his qualifications too. In fact it took an epiphany to convince Moses that He ought to free his fellow Hebrews from the clutches of Egyptian tyranny. God had to demonstrate to Isaiah that He intends to use imperfect people to deliver His message to their fellowman. That lesson was needed then and it is needed today.
Isaiah's response when he saw images of heavenly origins was to say, “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts.” (Isaiah 6.5). Moses' response was verbally different, but the message was the same, i.e. “Lord, You must have made a mistake; send someone who is better qualified.” Just as God had done with Moses, so He did with Isaiah; He convinced him that He really did know what He was doing and that no mistake had been made. Isaiah explained it like this: “A seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: 'Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.'” (Isaiah 6.6-7).
The title of today's message is Isaiah's verbatim response to the Lord's question when He asked, “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Having been cured of his reluctant spirit, Isaiah responded, “Here am I! Send me.” This response is one of humility and submission. There was a gigantic mission that needed to be achieved and he was pretty much just another “ordinary Joe.” That is the way Moses felt and that is the way Isaiah felt. However, a cursory look at the Scriptures shows that almost all the Bible heroes were just men and women of ordinary standing who accepted the fact that God would equip them for the task to which they were being called and for which they were being held accountable. Joseph, David, Amos, Saul of Tarsus, Peter, and John are just a few examples of such. To put it plainly, those who said, “Here am I! Send me,” were otherwise ordinary people who possessed extraordinary faith!
When Jesus walked on this earth, He needed a “few good men” to expedite His work and to carry it on when His mission here had been accomplished. This band of special men were recognized in the communities in which they labored as ordinary men – fishermen, farmers, government workers – men who apparently had no special gifts. Yet, they were to become giants in the faith, men who would be willing to literally put their lives on the line for the cause which they espoused. Peter was a man who readily followed Jesus when he was commanded to put down his net and to become a fisher of men. Yet, Peter was not a man of extraordinary talents; he was just another ordinary Joe called to an extraordinary task. His ministry was certainly not without flaws and controversy. He began by denying any knowledge of the LORD whom he was called to serve and later played the part of a blameworthy hypocrite in the case of the Jews refusing to eat with the Gentiles (see Galatians 2).
Who is worthy to accept the callings of the Lord? Literally, no one! All of us are flawed and imperfect. Each one will be guilty of mistakes and missteps. Yet, God NEVER required men to do a flawless job nor for that matter, to live flawless lives in order to do His bidding. One of the poorest excuses in Satan's arsenal is the excuse of being unfit or unworthy. Of course we are not fit or worthy! That is not a requirement! God wants men and women of ordinary abilities and talents who are willing to develop and exercise extraordinary faith; these are the “few good men” whom He seeks; these are the men and women who say “Here am I! Send me.”
Questions
1. Why did Isaiah think himself unworthy of the task to which he was being called?
2. How did God demonstrate graphically that Isaiah would be fitted for the task?
3. Who was Peter to accept the challenge of being one of Jesus' disciples? What made him capable or fit?
4. How will we become fit or capable (if we do)?
Receive the newest devotional each week in your inbox by joining the "Today's Little Lift" subscription list. Enter your email address below, click "Go!" and we will send you a confirmation email. Follow the instructions in the email to confirm your addition to this list.