By God

“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 did not direct His call to Isaiah—Isaiah overheard God saying, “Who will go for Us?” The call of God is not just for a select few but for everyone. Whether I hear God’s call or not depends on the condition of my ears, and exactly what I hear depends upon my spiritual attitude. “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22: 14). That is, few prove that they are the chosen ones. The chosen ones are those who have come into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ and have had their spiritual condition changed and their ears opened. Then they hear “the voice of the Lord” continually asking, “Who will go for Us?” However, God doesn’t single out someone and say, “Now, you go.” He did not force His will on Isaiah. Isaiah was in the presence of God, and he overheard the call. His response, performed in complete freedom, could only be to say, “Here am I! Send me.” Remove the thought from your mind of expecting God to come to force you or to plead with you. When our Lord called His disciples, He did it without irresistible pressure from the outside. The quiet, yet passionate, insistence of His “Follow Me” was spoken to men whose every sense was receptive (Matthew 4: 19). If we will allow the Holy Spirit to bring us face-to-face with God, we too will hear what Isaiah heard—"the voice of the Lord.” In perfect freedom we too will say, “Here am I! Send me.”” —Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

When Jesus first says, “Follow Me,” it's a personal invitation—simple, powerful, and direct. He doesn’t give a map or list of qualifications; He simply calls us into relationship and trust. To follow Him is to begin a journey of transformation, where we lay down our old selves and walk step by step behind the One who knows the way. At first, the path may feel uncertain, but the voice calling us is full of grace and promise. It’s not about having it all together—it’s about being willing to take the first step.

As we walk with Him, our hearts begin to change. The longer we follow, the more we see His heart for the world, and our prayers begin to shift. Following turns into readiness. Love matures into obedience. And in time, we find ourselves echoing the words of Isaiah: “Here am I, send me.” No longer just recipients of grace, we become messengers of it—willing vessels, not because we are perfect, but because we are surrendered. Jesus calls us to follow, and in following, we discover the courage to be sent. —DH