Becoming Willing: Answering God’s Call with Confidence

Becoming Willing: Answering God’s Call with Confidence

(This devotional was written by one of our incarcerated students, sharing their faith and study of God’s Word.)

Isaiah 6:8

Every time I read this scripture I am reminded of the time when God called me to the ministry. In truth, He had been calling me for some time, but like Jonah, I ran from it. It was quite simply the last thing I wanted to do.  I was very comfortable only going to church and singing in the choir. However, the more of the Bible I read and studied, the more I came to know and love Christ. The call grew stronger and soon it became abundantly clear that God had other plans for me.

In his vision Isaiah heard the Lord ask, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Unlike myself, Isaiah answered the call immediately and without any hesitation whatsoever. Here am I send me. Never has a man answered the call of God more quickly. He did not need to ponder the question, or think it over. He didn’t need to sleep on it, and give God an answer in the morning.

The reason why Isaiah was able to answer so easily was because he was assured that his sins were wiped clean. In verse five, we read that Isaiah was undone. Knowing that he was an unclean man living in the midst of an unclean people, he did not feel worthy to stand before almighty God, but an angel assured him that his sins had been purged and wiped clean. Armed with this knowledge, he was ready to do anything the Lord asked of him.

To be certain, answering God’s call is a serious matter. Ministering His word to the people is not to be taken lightly. Yet, as believers made clean by the blood of Christ, we, like Isaiah, can be assured that we not only have the right to boldly bring our petitions and prayers before God, but we are able to answer any assignment He calls us to. Our right standing before God enables us to do this and more. It is not only our right, it is our duty and our calling.

Darrell C.