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)
People are so worried about commitment and will do anything just to get away with it. There are more and more people nowadays who are going away to self preservation. In our culture of individuality, who in his right mind who would commit him/herself into something that he/she is not familiar with? Who is willing to dwell into unchartered territories nowadays? Some who have had bad experiences about commitment are hurt and have now become afraid to try again.
We see many of them every time the temperature drops on a Sunday morning, would prefer to sleep in and do not bother going to church anymore? That Sunday worship has become just another “activity” or “disposable commitment” that one can get away with anytime one wants? And our concept of God has been reduced to that of a fairy godmother or a genie? We only call when we need something from them.
Come to think of it, would your life be any better if you are free of commitment? Would you rather spend time sitting at your Lazy boy and watch TV, than out in the cold of the night volunteering to make life better for other people?
As I dwell into the book of Isaiah, I have come to appreciate the depth and meaning of committing one’s life to God. Isaiah experienced the emptiness of his religious experience despite the richness of their faith as a people. He saw that their processions are well attended, the clergy is powerful, but behind this facade life is absent. It was a religion that is learned and does not spring from the heart.
Unless what we do are products of an encounter of God and not just of religious experience, it will always be difficult to say – here I am, send me! God dwells in our heart and when we experience this person in our heart and not just in our mind, love is now no longer a mere “command”, it becomes a response to the gift of love with which God draws us near to Him. It propels us to move and do beyond what we think we are capable of.
There was once an occasion I was listening to a prayer leader who were leading us in prayer and mentioned those who are poor and have nothing to eat. He asked that God may bless them and may send somebody to help them. It has dawned on me that it might be more pleasing to God if the prayer would be “Lord we remember those who have nothing to eat at this hour and we ask that you may give us courage to reach out to them and share whatever blessing you have given us.”
Being sent does not mean you are the most qualified or the most capable. Being sent means your heart is ready to love and to trust. That your life is to be one of simple, childlike faith, and that our part is to love and to trust, not to do. While humanity will always look for the tangible result of what you do, God does not. He is more interested in your heart than in all that you have accomplished.
Remember, God chose Peter to be the foundation of His Church not because he is good but because God is good. He chose Peter because of his heart and in His goodness, He qualified him. This will be so to anyone whom He will put to task.
So when the Lord asks: who do I send? Don’t be afraid, look at your heart then say, here I am, send me!
People are so worried about commitment and will do anything just to get away with it. There are more and more people nowadays who are going away to self preservation. In our culture of individuality, who in his right mind who would commit him/herself into something that he/she is not familiar with? Who is willing to dwell into unchartered territories nowadays? Some who have had bad experiences about commitment are hurt and have now become afraid to try again.
We see many of them every time the temperature drops on a Sunday morning, would prefer to sleep in and do not bother going to church anymore? That Sunday worship has become just another “activity” or “disposable commitment” that one can get away with anytime one wants? And our concept of God has been reduced to that of a fairy godmother or a genie? We only call when we need something from them.
Come to think of it, would your life be any better if you are free of commitment? Would you rather spend time sitting at your Lazy boy and watch TV, than out in the cold of the night volunteering to make life better for other people?
As I dwell into the book of Isaiah, I have come to appreciate the depth and meaning of committing one’s life to God. Isaiah experienced the emptiness of his religious experience despite the richness of their faith as a people. He saw that their processions are well attended, the clergy is powerful, but behind this facade life is absent. It was a religion that is learned and does not spring from the heart.
Unless what we do are products of an encounter of God and not just of religious experience, it will always be difficult to say – here I am, send me! God dwells in our heart and when we experience this person in our heart and not just in our mind, love is now no longer a mere “command”, it becomes a response to the gift of love with which God draws us near to Him. It propels us to move and do beyond what we think we are capable of.
There was once an occasion I was listening to a prayer leader who were leading us in prayer and mentioned those who are poor and have nothing to eat. He asked that God may bless them and may send somebody to help them. It has dawned on me that it might be more pleasing to God if the prayer would be “Lord we remember those who have nothing to eat at this hour and we ask that you may give us courage to reach out to them and share whatever blessing you have given us.”
Being sent does not mean you are the most qualified or the most capable. Being sent means your heart is ready to love and to trust. That your life is to be one of simple, childlike faith, and that our part is to love and to trust, not to do. While humanity will always look for the tangible result of what you do, God does not. He is more interested in your heart than in all that you have accomplished.
Remember, God chose Peter to be the foundation of His Church not because he is good but because God is good. He chose Peter because of his heart and in His goodness, He qualified him. This will be so to anyone whom He will put to task.
So when the Lord asks: who do I send? Don’t be afraid, look at your heart then say, here I am, send me!
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