June 22, 2023: Here I Am, Pick Me!

"And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here I am! Send me." (Isaiah 6:8, ESV)

Isaiah's words are words that God loves to hear; "Here I am! Send me!" There is no resistance on Isaiah's part. No prodding on God's part. The Hebrew word for 'here I am' is an exclamation demanding attention. It is a cry to be noticed. Not for selfish reasons but in response to a question. It is different than just saying 'yes' because it carries an immediacy to it. Isaiah seems to be saying, "Look no further! I am your man! Pick me!" Another fun translation of the Hebrew word used by Isaiah is "Behold me!"
Isaiah has a giant "YES!" in his heart toward God. That is what God is looking for in all of us—a giant "YES!" God was looking at a nation that had forgotten Him. He needed someone willing to go and take His word to them. It is no different today. God is looking for people who will go to the lost folks and give them His life-giving Word.  
We must see in this passage that Isaiah had an encounter with God that shook him to the core of his being. The result was a willingness to obey/volunteer for what God was seeking. God did not call Isaiah to go to a nation. He encountered a man with His holiness, and the man willingly volunteered. Will you go at the Spirit's request? Are you crying out, "Pick me! I'm your man!" Your mission field just might be next door or down the street.