Do you volunteer to take on tasks? Do you volunteer without knowing what the task is? What kinds of tasks are you willing to volunteer for? Are they only tasks that you know will be simple to accomplish? Will you volunteer for a task that stretches your abilities?
Most of us volunteer for tasks, whether we think we do or not. Yet, we won’t often volunteer for unknown tasks, those that are not fully explained. We often will volunteer for those that we are confident we can accomplish. Yet seldom will we volunteer for more difficult tasks.
I remember when I was in the Marine Corps, we learned not to volunteer during training classes. Usually, it was because we did not want to be brought to the front of the class and made to look foolish. Instructors wizened up to this and would sometimes ask for a volunteer, then tell the brave soul who volunteered that they could choose someone to replace them. Of course, there would be groans and grumbles.
God asks for volunteers. In today’s passage, Isaiah volunteers. Not only does he volunteer but he volunteers for an unknown task. God is asks who will go and Isaiah speaks up to say he will. He doesn’t know that God is going have him take a message to his countrymen they do not want to hear. Though the message ends with hope, it consists of doom and gloom.
The message was a forecast of the future. It was a warning from God that things were going to get worse before they get better. But the message was reassuring to the nation of Israel. Though there would be destruction, the nation would not be completely wiped out. There would be a remnant to rebuild with.
The same message could be delivered today to the church. There may be people within the church who fail to listen. There may be people who leave. Yet, there will be a remnant who will rebuild the church. The rebuilding will be done according to God’s plan.
I pray we all heed God’s message. I pray we seek to follow God’s plan. I pray each one of us will volunteer to carry God’s message, take on his tasks, and build the church in Christ’s image. Heed God’s message. Follow God’s plan. Carry God’s message. Do what God asks.
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!”
Marty Pressey 