Today’s passage: “Also 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
Isaiah has always impressed me with his willingness to speak God’s Word and to stand up for the truth. Readiness to spread the gospel wherever I go is something I desire to exemplify. Some Christians seem to have a natural talent to know just what to say and have no fear of being rejected; yet I find it difficult sometimes to know just what to say. I pray that this study helps me overcome my fear and that you will find it helpful as well.
In John chapter 1, we read of two examples of Jesus’ disciples telling their friends that they had found the Messiah. “One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’”. John 1:40-41. Andrew hurriedly ran to tell his brother Peter about Jesus. Peter’s life would have been very different if Andrew had not shared with him that the Christ had come. Additionally, a close friend of Jesus and a devout follower would have possibly missed his opportunity to become an apostle and a great preacher of the Word.
Later in John 1, we learn that, “The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’ John 1:43-45. It is very good that Philip took Nathanael to meet Jesus because Jesus said of Nathanael, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." Nevertheless, he did not know that Christ had come until Philip took him to meet Jesus.
God wants everyone to be saved (I Timothy 2:3-4) but if we fail to teach others the gospel, we may be denying our families, friends or others with whom we have contact the opportunity to know God’s Word and His will for their lives. They may be lost because we did not take the time to share the gospel with them.
Jesus came to this earth to do His Father’s will. He also served as an example for us that we should imitate Him. The slogan, “What Would Jesus Do?” is a good one to remember when we face decisions; yet it also should be considered in everything that we think, do and say. After washing their feet, Jesus told His disciples, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.” John 13:14-16.
Let us consider Jesus’ great example in Matthew 9:35-38: “Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.’ Matthew 9:35-38. Jesus spent His time teaching and preaching to others. What was His motivation? Compassion. Why was He moved with compassion for them? Because they were weary and scattered, having no shepherd. What did he want his followers to do? “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
Who are these laborers that were sent of the Lord? If we love God like Isaiah did, we will answer: “…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. God sent us to be laborers in His service, but what if we will not work?
Let us consider what our Savior told His disciples: "Jesus said to them, 'My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.” John 4:34-36. If we reap the Lord’s great blessings, should we not also sow that others will be blessed as well?
An old song refrain has been running through my head while considering this devotional. After looking up the lyrics in a songbook, I am even more impressed by this song’s impact. The beautiful words truly capture the idea of the lesson. Yet, let us not miss the last verse because there is sadness contained within the plea. We must warn our brothers and sisters while we still have time and not wait until it is too late like the rich man in Luke 16 who wanted to tell his brothers about the terrible place in which he found himself after death. “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’” Luke 16: 27-31.
What a tragedy to be told, “It is too late.” Let us make the most of today while it is still today.
There Is Much to Do
M.W. Spencer
There is much to do, there’s work on ev’ry hand
Hark! the cry for help comes ringing thru the land
Jesus calls for reapers, I must active be,
What wilt Thou, O Master? Here am I, send me.
There’s the plaintive cry of mourning souls distressed
And the sigh of hearts who seek but find no rest
These should have my love and tender sympathy
Ready at Thy bidding, here am I, send me.
There are hung’ring souls who cry aloud for bread
With the bread of life they’re longing to be fed
Shall they starve and famish while a feast is free?
I must be more faithful, here am I, send me.
There are souls who linger on the brink of woe
Lord, I must not, cannot bear to let them go
Let me go and tell them, brother, turn and flee
Master, I would save them, here am I, send me.
Refrain:
Here am I… Lord, send me
Here am I… Ready at thy bidding, Lord send me
Lord willing, I plan for our next lesson to focus on what we should teach others in order to offer them the hope of salvation that God provides for all who obey. We must sow the seed wherever we are, as God expects of us.
May the Lord bless you today and every day. Our God is so good!
