Craig Clouston

The Call

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here I am. Send me!”
Isaiah 6:8

He was fourteen when God called him the first time. It was through a wonderful woman he’d known for years. Although deaf, she served God faithfully. She asked if she could share something she felt God wanted him to know. “I guess so,” the boy tentatively answered. Holding his face in her hands, looking directly into his eyes, she said, “God told me that you would be a great minister for Him some day!” Not really understanding, he answered, “Okay.” And that, as they say, was the end of that.
Over the years, the call was replaced by other desires, yet a sense of longing plagued him. Still, he continued to resist. He knew what the call was—God’s invitation to be in relationship with Him in a way that would make him wholehearted. He couldn't tell you why, but he was afraid of the call. But as a patient Father does, God waited. The man finally answered the call and in that answer found a joy and contentment that fulfilled the longing in his heart.

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Isaiah’s relationship with God was so close that he overheard God asking for someone to go. In those close relationships, we are conscious of God’s voice. We overhear Him speaking in our presence, asking us to go for Him. We can be so uncertain and fearful that we want God to call us by name, saying, “John, please do this for me.” God rarely calls us that way. His hope is that we would be in a close enough relationship with Him that when we hear Him say, “Whom shall I send?” we answer, “Here I am, send me.”
Everyone’s call is different; for one it’s a helping hand to someone in need, to another it’s giving someone a ride to the store. It is not to be feared, but embraced. All are called. Sadly, few answer.

Prayer

“I get afraid when I hear You speak, Lord. I don’t know why; I just do. Help me walk through the fear. Help me understand that by serving others I serve You. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”