“The 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!’” (Isaiah 6:8 NASB)
Once again it is Monday morning, and as par for the course, I am challenged to uphold my word to be brief on this day of the week. We even have a name for meditations published the day after the Lord’s Day, “The Monday Short.” I’ll do try to do my part, but I will ask that for further edification, perhaps while you enjoy your morning coffee, or while you eat lunch in a secluded spot, or during the post-work hours when you return home, that you read Isaiah 6 in its entirety.
Here is the tale part of it, a true story. Do you remember when you attended basketball or volleyball games in elementary or high school? Remember seeing the starters on the team, and benchwarmers. A more acceptable term for the latter these days is “the reserves.” During the course of the game, the team would take timeouts. The whole team would gather around the coach who had taken the initiative to prepare them for the game. When the timeout ended, the starters returned to the floor. The reserves headed back to the hard wooden bench, those uncomfortable metal chairs, or at the best gyms, the luxurious padded seats. As the reserves returned, they jockeyed for a good position, hurried to get a seat not too far from the coach so that they would be noticed and called in the game when needed. Yet, if one was unfortunate and could only find a seat near or on the end of the bench, the one farthest away from the coach, that player would sit on the edge of the bench, almost doing a balancing act, while sticking his head further, and further out to ensure that the coach would not lose sight of him/her and to communicate a willingness to sub when needed. In other words, the player was saying, “Here I am. Send me!” Sometimes it worked. Sometimes the technique ended in disappointment.
Here is the truth part of the meditation, based on the truth; taken from God’s word. Like the prophet Isaiah, either physically or virtually, I’m sure that you found yourself in the presence of the Lord yesterday, and at some point, the holiness of God was expressed. You felt a sense of cleansing. Therefore, you are just as ready today as Isaiah was in his time; ready to go out and tell some people what the Lord has put on your heart to share with others. Now, frankly speaking, you should definitely be like Isaiah and willingly volunteer to live up to your commission, given by Jesus. You should be the one saying the exact words of Isaiah, “Here am I. Send me! Put me in!” (Notice the exclamation marks.) What are you going to do my friend? Don’t ponder too long! Push forward and proclaim through your walk and your talk, responding obediently to Jesus’ directing you, as written below. Have a great Monday! It was “The Monday Short,” but your reaction should be longer than your reading of this meditation and responding in private, “Amen.” Have a wonderful, witnessing day! Be blessed!”
“And you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8b Modern English Version)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King