"Here I am, Send Me"

​When my children were young, I attended a group for mothers. I had great support; I made friends. My kids had a great time and we were fed with the word of God. Then, I was asked to consider leading the group. My immediate answer was, “No! I am not qualified!”  I was asked to pray about it, and to see where God would lead.  
 
I sought God through His word and through prayer. I felt unworthy and prideful in thinking that if I were to lead this group, it would be in my own strength. I was forced to confess the sin of pride and ask for God’s forgiveness. As 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  God graciously allowed me to see that my strength was in my willingness to say ‘yes’ to His call.

​In Isaiah 6:1-4, Isaiah saw God in all His glory, and he was overwhelmed!  How could he, a sinful man, living among a disobedient, sinful people, (the people of Judah), see the King, the Lord Almighty, and live? Recognizing his unworthiness, Isaiah cried out, “Woe to me! I am ruined” (Is. 6:5). Yet, because of God’s great love for His children, He transforms us and makes us worthy (2 Thess. 1:11).  He did this for Isaiah and He continues to do this for everyone who calls Him ‘Abba Father.’  
 
Isaiah’s response to the Lord’s voice saying, “Whom shall I send?  And who will go for us?”
(Is. 6:8), was  immediate.  Without knowing what he was being asked to do, or where he was being sent, he responded, “Here am I,  Send me” (Is. 6:8).  Having experienced God’s love and mercy, he no longer felt inadequate. He was ready to answer God’s call.
 
You too, have probably struggled with answering God’s call to serve Him.  We want to know the minutest details. Where? When? How?  Are we qualified? In evaluating my qualifications or ‘worthiness’ to answer God’s call, I was looking at the things the world told me I needed:  experience, a perfect family, to be “good enough.” You probably have a similar list. 
 
However, God sees us so differently from the way we see ourselves.  In His eyes, we are worthy because He has made us worthy; the blood that Jesus shed on the cross qualifies us. We need only to have hearts that are willing to do His will. The rest is up to Him.
 
In Christ, we are competent for every calling.
 
I thank God for calling me to serve Him for those three years. I was blessed by the women we served, and those that I served alongside. We saw God at work in our families. My children were nurtured in God’s word, and that has been foundational in their lives. I am still friends with many of the moms from my group. I would have missed a great blessing had I said, “No,” to serving God.
 
Is God calling you? Do you hear His faint whisper calling you to step out in faith? Friend, even though you and I may not have a vision of the Almighty as Isaiah did, He still calls us to do His will. Let us put aside our reservations and our reasons, so that we may answer faithfully and boldly as Isaiah did, "Here am I. Send me" (Is. 6:8).

Memory Verse: ​“…for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”  
Philippians 2:13

About the Author

​Hi, I am Joan Lavori.  I have been married to my husband Joe for 33 years.  We have two young adult children and we live in NW Atlanta. I homeschooled my children through high school and currently teach in a hybrid homeschool program.  I love to write, read, sing and take long walks on the beach, listening to God's Word and soaking up His marvelous creation.  ​​