Whom Shall I send?

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

Often I am challenged by this question including last night in a preaching that I heard. The question is “am I answering to the calling that God has for my life as Isaiah did?” In a way, I can say yes. I am a youth pastor; I’m reaching out to young people every Friday. And yet in another way I can say no; I’m not doing enough.

I remember a time when I was lost. I was 17 years old; I was heavy in the gang life. I was partying hard every night drinking way more than my fellow drinkers and doing drugs to “ease my pain.” On the outside I was this rough, tough, hardcore, never crack a smile kind of kid that wasn’t afraid of anything and loved partying. On the inside I was a messed up little seventeen-year-old kid that was confused, depressed, and hurting.

My belief is this: There are many kids; there are many people in general that NEED THE GOD OF LOVE AND GRACE IN THEIR LIVES! Is God going to judge everybody for their actions one day, absolutely. But as for right now, we are living in a time of Grace in which Jesus is waiting for us with arms wide open saying: I see that you are a complete mess, but I love you anyway. I died for you and I want to give you a second chance at life.

The God that many Christians show these days is a God of hate, a God of judgment, a God that wants to take all of the fun out of their lives and make them into horrible, judgmental, hypocritical people. That doesn’t draw people to Christ; that will repel them. And to be honest a lot of us Christians truly are these horrible, judgmental people. I can definitely understand why people wouldn’t want to be Christians if that is the “light” that we have been shining in the darkness.

And yet people are still in need. People Need Jesus! People need the Jesus that was here 2000 and so years ago that loved them and wanted to speak life into the lost and the hurting; into sinners and Pharisees; into adulterers and liars; into tax collectors and prostitutes. That is the Jesus that people want and need in their lives. Now “Who will Go and speak to a lost and dying Generation?” Who will tell them that God loves them, He wants to forgive them, and He wants to be there for them no matter what? I want to be the Isaiah That says, “I will go” but only my actions can answer that question. To be honest though, I see the need, I feel the sympathy and now I want to be moved to Compassion for this lost and dying generation. God, help me to be Isaiah! Help me to bring people to the REAL YOU!