After the angel flew to Isaiah in the temple and touched his lips with a hot coal to proclaim that his sins had been atoned for, God spoke. Though His presence had been felt and seen, He hadn’t yet opened His mouth. When His voice was finally heard, He simply asked a question, “Whom shall I send?” Though there was a group of people in that room, in their terror, all but one failed to respond. However, at the moment he was forgiven, Isaiah went from being petrified before the throne of Jehovah to being in awe and adoration of Him. Because he was shown mercy by the Holy One when He could have held his sin against him, the prophet blurted out unhesitatingly, “Here I am. Send me!” You see, once he had tasted the radical grace and wondrous power of his Lord, he was compelled to follow; there was nowhere else he wanted to be.

Friend, when you have beheld the glory of Christ’s forgiveness and the wonder of His grace, you will be compelled to say “yes” to His call. Though He could have left you stuck in the muck and mire of your sin and defeat, He lifted you up and set you free. Even now, He woos you in His might and gives you His power to overcome any obstacle that is set before you. When you make yourself available to His work by saying, “Send me!” the great adventure that results, even if it requires scaling mountains of trials, will far exceed anything you could do in your own strength. He is with you and for you, and together, you and your Savior will go forth and impact the generations!