Send Me

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!" (NIV)

Spreading wide the curtains in the front room, a place I love to snuggle down with the good book, I noticed that it was the time of year when the leaves turn colour and begin to fall. It is a quieting and comforting feeling to start up the fireplace once more, for not all days are like this.

I thought of how quickly the seasons have changed, for it seems only a few days since the buds were on the trees. I had watched them open into green foliage, and now here we are once more facing the coming of winter.

I started to compare these seasons to my life, thinking just how quickly it has passed from childhood through the adventures of growing into middle age — much too fast. And now, with a smile on my face, I think of a younger person who came to me one day recently to ask if I had any intention of entering the ministry.

What a thought, that at my age, I would ever be called to go back to school to study for full-time ordained ministry! Moses was eighty when he was called to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.

However, I realized that I do have a ministry already. In the last five years I have done extensive writing and speaking, which I hope and pray will lead someone else, not just to read or hear, but also to take time to ponder for a moment, to think about the message, and then respond to God's call.

Have we ever stopped to think about God calling us to entering into full-time ministry for Him in His Church? If God were to touch any one of us, I pray that the response would be, "Send me."

Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, time passes quickly — sometimes too quickly. We pray that we will take the time to listen for Your call, to ponder, and to answer, "Yes, here am I, Lord. Send me." In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.