Having An Unqualified Commitment
by Dan Jones, M.D.
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!"
Yes, Lord. That's me. I want to be used by you. Lord, I am willing to go to deepest Africa. Lord, send me to the most isolated rural area. Or, Lord, send me to the inner city. Anywhere you want me to go, I am ready. But, please, Lord, just don't ask me to work with those undeserving AIDS patients. Let me work with someone who deserves Your love.
Sound familiar? Most of us called to service are willing to do almost anything. But almost anything does not come close to what God wants us to be willing to do. That is the same as telling Him we will do nothing. The last prerequisite we see from His call to Isaiah is the prerequisite of no restrictions in our response.
Did you notice that in these verses, God does not tell Isaiah what He wants him to do or where He wants him to go? That follows in later verses - after Isaiah has said yes. Importantly, God only asked "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" Isaiah's response was unconditional. And that is the only response He will accept from us. Only then will He allow us the privilege of doing His will and responding to His call. His call is not about a place or task. His call is to obedience and love.
Every time I have tried to put any limitations on what I wanted out of God's call in my life, He has made me wait until He had me to the point I was willing to pray an absolutely open-ended prayer. He does not want to hear me say I am willing to go to Africa. He only wants to hear me say "Here am I. Send me."
Lord, take away any restrictions or selfish desires in your call to me. Help me, Lord, simply respond "Here am I. Send me."
Dan Jones, M.D., MACP, FAHA, a board-certified Internist, a former medical missionary to Korea, professor of medicine at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, Dean of the School of Medicine, and Chancellor of the University of Mississippi until 2015. Dr. Dan Jones is a member of CMDA.
Dr. Jones welcomes any comments or questions about what he has written and can be reached at - djones@umc.edu
Rounds with the Master, Spiritual Pearls from the Great Physician Devotionals are released every Monday and Thursday.
Photo by Artem Beliaikin on Unsplash
