Here Am I! Send Me.

Jeremy Northrop

      The words which make up the title of this article are the words of Isaiah found in Isaiah 6:8: “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’” The ‘us’ which is referred to in this verse would be the trinity Godhood or perhaps even inclusive of the heavenly hosts. The attitude which Isaiah had in this text is one which needs to be exhibited by God’s people everywhere today. So often times, people want to run from the responsibility God has placed on them. Moses had similar concerns in Exodus 3-4. Naaman, the leper did not want to do the simple task of dipping himself in the Jordan (2Kings 5:11-12). Many today do not want to do the simple tasks God has given to them through His word but more than that, they do not want to engage in the more difficult tasks God has given. Simply put, many are not displaying the attitude of Isaiah in this passage. There are few areas where this attitude would prove beneficial to the work of the church.

      First, some do not display this attitude in the authority of an eldership. Paul told the young evangelist Timothy of the authority of the eldership: “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine” (1Timothy 5:17). Peter spoke extensively of their authority when he commanded elders:

The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;  nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble’ (1Peter 5:1-5).

How often do elders find themselves working alone? The elders here at Ashland have invited the congregation to be involved in their work of visiting the delinquent and sick and often times, they find themselves alone in this task. The church needs members who will submit to the authority of elders and display this attitude of Isaiah: “Here I am! Send me.”

      It has always confused this writer as to why there are people in the world who claim to be followers of God but then will not do what God says to do. Why do people not go to the worship assembly of the church? God wants, indeed commands, people to worship Him and yet people forsake the assembling of the saints. The excuses rush in as to reasons why people do not attend. Some respond by saying they are sick yet these same people are not sick enough to stay home from work. Some say that had other engagements yet does not this attitude indicate a lack of commitment or putting God first? If Christ were attending any given worship service in the flesh, the building would be so full one could hardly imagine. Yet, Christ is there every time the doors are open and people just do not seem to understand. The Ethiopian nobleman of Acts 8 had a degree of commitment that people would do well today to have when it come to the worship of Almighty God. The church needs people with the attitude of Isaiah: “Here am I! Send me.”

      Next, there is another purpose of the church which so many do not want to engage in which is benevolence. Again, the excuses of so many will come rushing in as if they think God will accept excuses on the Day of Judgment. Some talk of how they need to get themselves financially fitted before they are willing to help anyone else. Others might claim they do not have the money or resources to help anyone who is in need. It is interesting that many who have once benefited from the benevolence of the church still will not provide benevolence even thought they are in a position in which they are able to do so. James 1:27 says, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” The church needs people with the attitude of Isaiah: “Here am I! Send me.”

      Then, people do not want to prepare themselves for the tasks of maturity because they do not study their Bibles like they should. The biblical president is there: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2Timothy 2:15). There are other passages which could be cited. People like to say things like: “I wish I knew as much as the preacher knows” or “My memory just does not work like that; I can’t study like that.” Yet these same people might be able to use the vastness of their memory to work on cars or watch sports and keep up with events in the world. These same people have wondered why they cannot teach anyone else the gospel. It is because they are not familiar with the gospel. The church needs people with the attitude of Isaiah: “Here am I! Send me.”

      Finally, there is the work of the church to which this verse is Isaiah is most often applied — evangelism. Most can recite the great commission given by Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20:

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.

It is so sad to think of the millions upon millions which will be lost. Jesus promised such to be the case in Matthew 7:13-14. It is even sadder to think of one that will be lost because a Christian who was close to him or her did not say anything. The church needs people with the attitude of Isaiah: “Here am I! Send me.”