Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” – Isaiah 6:8

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 24, 2016): Isaiah 6

More often, the response of a prophet more resembles a Meat Loaf song than anything else. “I’ll do anything for you, Lord, but I won’t do that.” At least, that was my reaction to my calling from God. I will serve you but don’t make me do that. I think I align well with the Jonah’s of this world, although I hope my ending is better than his. One of my favorite Popes is Gregory the Great, and part of the reason why he strikes a chord with me is that when he was selected Pope, he ran and hid rather than accepting the office that was being given to him. It took armed guards to get him to assume the Papacy. I am pretty sure that would have been my reaction. I will do anything for you, but I won’t (or really don’t want to) do that.

Of course, God doesn’t make us do anything. He could, but he refuses that path. Instead, he asks for volunteers to go. Every pastor, every missionary, and every member of a church that carries the presence of God into the workplace is a volunteer. No one has to go. We all have the ability to say no, although I am also convinced that we will never be happy if we do.

So Isaiah steps up. He is the rare one. “Here I am. Send me!” I will go wherever it is that you send me. Sometimes I wonder of Isaiah knew what this invitation that he was accepting meant. But then again, do any of us realize the enormous responsibility that we are being ushered into with our yes. Maybe it is enough just to trust. I will go and, God, you will lead. I will trust you wherever it is that you take and I am confident that that will be enough.

I also wonder if this moment in Isaiah’s life might mirror a cosmic drama that took place in heaven just over 2000 years ago. Is it possible that God looked out at the trouble happening on the earth and asked the same question that he posed in the presence of Isaiah? “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And this time it was Jesus who answered him. “I will go. Here I am. Send me.”

Tonight we prepare for the coming of the Messiah, the one who has come to save us. Tonight we remember the answer to God’s question. Tonight Jesus says, “I will go. I will wrap myself up in their flesh; I will exchange the comforts of home for the smelly stable and life with a poor carpenter and his young bride. Here I am. Send me!

Tonight we get ready for Christmas.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 7