This morning I was reading Isaiah and I reached the part in chapter 6, verse 8 where Isaiah “… heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send and who shall go for Us?'” and Isaiah replied, ‘Here am I. Send me.”
This was a straightforward question from the God of the universe. He was asking for someone to share the message that Isaiah had just seen in a vision. But this message was not a message of hope and blessing; it was a message of condemnation and destruction. Without a moment’s hesitation, Isaiah volunteered for the job!
I wept as I read it! I thought of all the times that I hesitate to share the good news that I carry… the news of Jesus’ restoration of all that was surrendered in the Garden of Eden by Eve and the first Adam.
During the course of a normal day, Lucifer placed a seed of doubt in Eve’s mind. She could have swept it away with many other thoughts; thoughts of God’s goodness, His love, His provision, His trustworthiness. Instead, she began to nurture it.
She began to wonder about it. After all, maybe Adam got it wrong. Did God really say that? She wasn’t there to hear the conversation because God created her after he gave those instructions to Adam. Did Adam not convey the right message? “Has God said…?” was the question posed to her by the serpent. (Genesis 3) Could he be right?
And so she fertilized the doubt. She could have asked Adam. She could have asked God. Instead, she began to grow a crop of doubt in her soul. Her thoughts impacted her mind, her will and emotions. She allowed the seed of doubt to begin to bear fruit instead of sweeping it away with faith and trust and truth… God’s truth!
She did not take her thoughts captive. She did not go to God. She did not even go to her husband. Instead, she was hanging around the one who introduced PRIDE into all that existed; the one who was creating that environment of self-importance and mistrust of those outside of herself.
After all, how did Eve know if Adam didn’t want that choice fruit just for himself? And, was God trying to keep His creation from knowing what He knew? If so, WHY? Well, she was going to find out first! No one was going to get ahead of HER in this new world! They must think she’s pretty dumb if they think she hasn’t already figured out their plan!
And on went the growth of mistrust and pride. God created every seed to grow and multiply… even the seeds of thought. Eve’s thoughts bore fruit. It was ungodly fruit, however, and would reap a harvest of sorrow and regret and separation from her Creator… the only One who truly understood and loved her, and her husband, without measure… the only One who truly forgave them even when they had difficulty forgiving themselves.
So the Plan was set into motion… God’s plan to set His people free from sin and free to enjoy constant fellowship with Him once again! Jesus came to release us from the bondage that began in the Garden of Eden. He came to be the ultimate sacrifice… the sacrifice that would make a way for the Father and His creation to be reunited… to be able to walk with Him in unbroken fellowship and love, just like in the Garden!
So, as you walk through the malls and grocery stores… as you go to work and church… as you spend time with family and friends, remember that God is asking for a voice. He’s continuously asking “Whom shall I send and who will go for Us?”
Make this the day that you volunteer to let God’s Creation know that Jesus is the only Gift that will ever make a real difference in each life… a daily, moment-by-moment, eternal difference.
Make this the day that you respond to God’s heart for His people. He loves you and has provided the way for you to be able to love Him back the way He deserves to be loved… in holiness and righteousness; the Holiness and Righteousness that are provided by His Holy and Righteous Son… Jesus!
Volunteer today! Answer God’s call. Give the Gift of Jesus to all you know! Their life will never be the same! Neither will yours…