Isaiah 6:8, "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!'"
John 4:35, "Do you not say, ‘There are still four months until the harvest?' I tell you, lift your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ripe for harvest."
The internet is full of funny stories about people's excuses for missing work. One employee said their door handle broke and they couldn't leave the house. Another said they were arrested in a case of mistaken identity. And, likely one of the worst ever: My brain went to sleep and I couldn't wake it up. Ridiculous, right? But let's flip the script. How ridiculous do we look before God when we make excuses for not doing the work He's called us to do?
Isaiah was in a tight spot. The king of Judah had just died and the nation was on the verge of an attack. Overcome with fear, Isaiah caught a glimpse of God's glory and heard Him say, "Whom shall I send?" Without making excuses, Isaiah immediately made a three-fold commitment to God, and said, "Send me!" He was bent on carrying out the will of God, delivering the Word of God, and doing the work of God. He was God's man on the scene, and we, too, have been given the same calling.
Are you stepping up to the challenge or are you making excuses? Choose today to make this same three-fold commitment. Experience the joy, blessing, and contagious enthusiasm that only comes from saying, "I'm here! Send me!"
God is more concerned with our availability than our ability. Assess your availability when it comes to living out the will of God, sharing the Word of God, and doing the work of God. Are you making yourself available or are you making excuses?
Dear Lord, Thank You for giving me an important calling. Today, I choose to make Isaiah's three-fold commitment in order to make Your name known to a world so lost without You. Convict my heart when I make excuses because I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and do what You've called me to do. In Jesus' name, Amen.