Here Am I, Lord: Embracing the Divine Mission in Isaiah 6:8

Have you ever felt a moment so profound that it reshaped your entire life's direction? For me, the verse Isaiah 6:8 - "Here am I, Lord; send me" - holds that very power. Recently, I listened to a heartfelt tribute where these words were the cornerstone of a loved one's legacy. This post is a journey through that call—what it means to surrender fully, the struggles, the courage, and the grace that come with choosing to serve.

Encountering God's Holiness: Understanding Isaiah's Vision

When I reflect on Isaiah’s vision in Isaiah 6, I am always struck by how clearly it reveals the overwhelming holiness of God and the deep awareness of human sinfulness. Isaiah’s experience is not just a story from the past—it is a powerful reminder of what it means to stand in the presence of a holy God. As I read, I am reminded of the words spoken at a recent gathering, “He chose to speak about his submission to the will of God. He quoted one of his favorite Bible verses, Isaiah chapter 6, verse 8.” This verse and the vision surrounding it have shaped my understanding of calling and readiness for God’s mission.

Isaiah’s Vision: The Majesty of God’s Holiness

Isaiah’s vision begins with him seeing the Lord seated on a high and exalted throne, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Heavenly beings, the seraphim, are calling out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” In this moment, Isaiah is overwhelmed by God’s holiness. The scene is majestic and awe-inspiring, making it clear that God’s holiness is beyond anything we can imagine.

Recognition of Sinfulness

Standing in the presence of such holiness, Isaiah immediately recognizes his own sinfulness. He cries out, “Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips.” This honest confession shows that when we truly encounter God’s holiness, we become deeply aware of our own shortcomings. It is a moment of truth, where all pretense falls away, and we see ourselves as we really are.

“Isaiah’s vision includes recognition of God’s holiness, Isaiah’s own sinfulness, and God’s atonement through cleansing of Isaiah’s lips.”

The Cleansing of Sin: Prepared for Divine Service

What happens next is both humbling and hopeful. One of the seraphim flies to Isaiah with a live coal taken from the altar and touches it to his lips, saying, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” This act is rich in meaning. The burning coal symbolizes the cleansing of sin, making Isaiah ready for God’s service. The cleansing of Isaiah’s lips is not just about forgiveness; it is about preparation. Only after this act of atonement does Isaiah hear God’s call: “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

• God’s holiness reveals our need for repentance.
• The cleansing of sin is essential before we can serve.
• Holiness and readiness go hand in hand in the Christian life.

Isaiah’s vision teaches me that encountering God’s holiness leads to honest self-examination and the cleansing of sin. This is the foundation for any divine mission. The readiness to say, “Here am I, send me,” only comes after we have experienced God’s holiness and received His cleansing grace.

Here Am I; Send Me: The Willingness to Serve God’s Divine Mission

When I reflect on Isaiah 6:8—“Here am I; send me”—I am struck by the weight and beauty of this simple declaration. It is more than just words; it is a powerful statement of faith and obedience. This phrase marks the moment when a willing heart responds to God’s call, ready to step into a divine mission, no matter the cost.

I remember hearing someone say,

“There is so much power in that verse. When you say, ‘Here I am, Lord, use me,’ God will take you up on that.”

The Power of a Willing Heart

Isaiah’s response came after he experienced forgiveness and cleansing. Only then did he say, “Here am I; send me.” This teaches me that God’s call often follows a moment of grace. The willingness to serve grows out of gratitude for God’s mercy. It is a personal and prophetic declaration—one that requires my heart, mind, mouth, and feet to be ready to carry God’s message wherever He leads.

Answering God’s Call: Faith and Obedience in Action

Saying yes to God’s call is not always easy. I have seen this in the lives of others, and I have felt it myself. There are moments when the cost is high and the path is hard. I remember a story shared with me about Charlie, a man who lived out this phrase with his whole being. After declaring, “Here am I, Lord, use me,” God took him at his word. Eleven days before his death, Charlie gave himself fully to God’s will. Even in the pain and loss that followed, his family found comfort in the words, “Thy will be done.”

This is the reality of Christian service. It is not without challenges. Sometimes, it means facing rejection, heartache, and even tragedy. But through it all, God’s love is revealed in unexpected ways. On the day Charlie’s wife faced the unthinkable—seeing her husband’s lifeless body—she still saw the man she loved, and she felt God’s presence in that moment of grief.

Stepping Into Your Divine Mission

The phrase “Here am I; send me” is an invitation to step into your own divine mission with confidence and trust. It calls for courage, faith, and self-denial. God’s call is not just for the strong or the perfect; it is for anyone willing to say yes. When I say, “Here am I, send me,” I am opening myself to be God’s messenger, ready to serve wherever He leads.

• Willingness to serve means surrendering my own will for God’s.
• Faith and obedience are required to answer God’s call.
• Divine mission is not always easy, but God’s presence goes with those who are willing.

Faith in Action: Reflecting on Christian Service and Spiritual Obedience

Living out the Christian faith is not a one-time decision—it is a daily journey. As I reflect on the days following Charlie’s passing, I am reminded that Christian service mission is not just about grand gestures, but about the quiet, persistent acts of faith and obedience that shape our souls. The moments of tragedy and loss often reveal the depth of our faith and obedience more than any season of comfort ever could.

Enduring Faith in the Face of Tragedy

When I saw Charlie for the last time, there was a faint smile on his lips. That small detail told me something important: God’s mercy was present, even in the midst of heartbreak. The doctor assured me that Charlie did not suffer. One moment, he was passionately defending the gospel; the next, he blinked and saw his Savior in paradise. This is the hope we cling to as believers—the assurance that our service and suffering are not in vain, and that God’s love is revealed even in our darkest hours.

"Being a follower of Christ is not easy. It's not supposed to be."

Faith is a habit that grows stronger through practice. In the days after Charlie’s assassination, I witnessed God’s love in unexpected ways. There was no violence, no rioting—only revival. People opened their Bibles for the first time in years, prayed after decades of silence, and stepped into church for the very first time. This is what it means to put faith in action: to let God use our pain as a catalyst for spiritual awakening in others.

Shepherding New Believers: Our Shared Mission

Charlie often journaled about the impact of our choices. He wrote, "Every time you make a decision, it puts a mark on your soul." For those who have just taken their first step toward a spiritual life, I say thank you and welcome. For those of us already walking this path, we have a responsibility. The Christian faith reflections we share must be lived out in how we nurture and protect the faith of new believers.

• Water the seed of their faith.
• Protect it and help it grow.
• Shepherd them with patience, prayer, and love.

The call to spiritual obedience is clear: "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me." Christian service means showing up every day, even when it’s hard, and doing 100% of what we can. Charlie left this world without regrets because he lived every day with purpose and surrender to God’s will.

"He left this world without regrets. He did 100% of what he could every day."

Let us remember that Christian service mission is not just about what we do, but about faithfully responding to God’s call, especially when it costs us something. As we pray, study Scripture, attend church, and support one another, we build a community rooted in faith and obedience—a community that reflects Christ to the world.

Wild Card Reflection: Love, Leadership, and Legacy in Faith

As I reflect on the call of Isaiah—“Here am I, Lord”—I am reminded that the divine mission is not only about grand gestures, but also about the quiet, daily choices we make in love, leadership, and legacy. Christian leadership begins at home, in the sacred partnership of marriage and the nurturing of family faith. The Christian vision of marriage is not one of hierarchy or domination, but of mutual service and spiritual leadership. As I look back on the life and example of Charlie, I see how faith-filled relationships truly nurture spiritual growth and leave a lasting legacy in faith.

Charlie understood that faith was a habit, something lived out in the ordinary moments. He would go through his contact list and send Bible verses for the day, planting seeds of encouragement and truth. The more you live out your faith, the more it grows—yet, as he often reminded us, the seed has only just been planted. The enemy will tempt you the most in these early moments, but God is always there, waiting for us to choose Him again and again. “Every time you make a decision, it puts a mark on your soul.” This is the daily work of Christian leadership: to pray again, to read the Bible again, to return to church and break free from the temptations of the world.

Being a follower of Christ is not easy, and it’s not supposed to be. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” Charlie knew this and carried his cross joyfully, never putting off what mattered most. He left this world without regrets, having done 100% of what he could every day. His legacy was not measured by incomplete work, but by the faithfulness and impact he had on others’ lives.

One of the most beautiful parts of Charlie’s legacy was his devotion to our marriage and family. Every Saturday, without fail, he wrote me a love note. In each note, he would share his highlight of the week, express gratitude for our family, and always end with the question, “Please let me know how I can better serve you as a husband.” This simple, consistent act was a unique expression of devotion and daily encouragement. It was a reminder that faithful marriage is a partnership of love, service, and spiritual leadership.

Charlie perfectly understood God’s role for a Christian husband: a man who leads so that he can serve. As he would say,

“Your wife is not your servant... She is your helper.”

As we embrace the divine mission, let us remember these words:

“Be strong and courageous for your families. Love your wives and lead them. Love your children and protect them. Be the spiritual head of your home, but please be a leader worth following.”