WHOM SHALL I SEND?

 

WHOM SHALL I SEND?

 

Well, summer is upon us, and next Sunday, we will begin our worship hour at 9:30. it's also Memorial Day weekend, and once again we are called to honor those who gave their lives by answering our country's call to love freedom more than life. When I was in Rock Island, we conducted dozens of funerals at the Arsenal, and while I was waiting for the service to begin, I would sometimes walk around the graves… and take in the courage, the grace and the holiness of it all. Many “ordinary” men and women have given their lives so that we can live our lives in freedom, and we recognize them today!
      But we are also gathered to thank those who answered God’s call in their own lives- giving their time, their tears, their prayers, and their labor… ministering to others… because they were called to! In the year that King Uzziah died, Isaiah was in the temple when it was suddenly filled with the presence of God. Angels showed up and Isaiah was overwhelmed by a feeling of unworthiness. He was justified by the touch of a hot coal and then he heard God asking, "Whom shall I send? Who will go for us!" And Isaiah shouted out, "Here I am! Send me!" Send me to go to where I don't know and use me for as long as you please. Send me! You know the Bible includes several "call" stories- Jonah, Samuel, and Paul among them- but I want to focus on God's call in our lives… because we're all being called to serve.

Each of us is called to do something that needs to be done for others in Christ’s name. Some of us are called to preach, some are called to teach, and some are called to sing or play music... and if God is calling you to do such things, you ought to do them. However, most callings have nothing to do with a far away mission fields or church stages. Let me mention Tammy Boggs, CL Palmer, Bill Seelye, and all of those who worked on building and grounds over the years. They served our Lord by keeping our lights on and our doors open! And I want to mention the servants who feed and clothe our neighbors, year after year, without much fanfare, because they have heard God’s call. And I think of those who host are church fellowship events- who set the beautiful tables and bring the food for our Seder meal, and who carry food and the tables across main street, so that we can serve ice cream and pies to the good people in Knoxville!   

      In Rock Island, we had three church members who attended funerals for people in our church and others whom they knew. No one asked them to do it. It wasn't official, but there they were- Vic, Dianne, and Don- at funerals big and small, to pay their respects, offer a little love, and to do what God had called them to do. In Rock Island, we also had a number of women who spent hours making Prayer Shawls for members and friends of the church, and here in Knoxville we have a vibrant Quilts for Valor ministry. And I must mention our Resale Shop because it's such an exciting place. Stop in, tell others about it, and don’t forget to thank those who give of their time and of themselves to receive gifts that God’s people donate, stock the shelves and fill our clothing racks, and staff the store… which is often crowded and filled with chatter.

      But what about you? What is God calling you to do? God is calling each of us through 1) our prayers; 2) our Bible studies; and 3) the issues that affect the lives of the people we know here. Get into prayer, get into study, and get into community... and you will have a much better chance of hearing God’s voice. God is calling us through 4) skills and talents that God has given us; 5) the events and issues that make us angry and break our hearts; 6) our tears and our own broken places; 7) and the causes that we are passionate about.

      Since I was a counselor for the Iowa Commission of the Blind in an earlier life and since Sherry worked for Access Living in Chicago for years, we are quick to notice things like ramps and large print Bibles. Some people don't give these things much thought, but they are passionate about poverty, gun violence, or drunk driving. Some people have a passion for inviting new people to church, others have a passion for reaching members who've drifted away, and still others don't give either group much thought. As a people we're blessed with different gifts, different stories, and different voices... and we will be stronger if each one of us responds to God when He calls us.
      In the year that someone I loved or something within me died, I was in church, as I had been a hundred times before, when I became aware that God was calling me. I'm not sure why I hadn't heard it before, but I heard God's voice just as clearly as I hear any voice. He was asking "Whom shall I send?" and "Who will go for us?"... and although I've never been one to get involved too deeply, I found myself raising my hand as if I was back in school. "Here I am," I cried, as I waved my hand in the air, "Here I am, send me!" On this Memorial Day, as we honor those who gave their lives in response to our country's call, let us open our own hearts and minds to God's call in our own lives. Each one of us has something to do for God- something that will bless us and some part of the community. Listen now.... listen and pray. Listen and pray, kiss a burning coal if you must. Then raise your hand and say, "Send me, Lord!" Amen.