Here I am; Lord Send Me

On the way to work yesterday, I chose a song to play on Spotify that means a lot.

The song was “Here I Am”, by the group Downhere.  It is based on Isa. 6:8, where the prophet was asked by Yahweh, “Whom shall I send?  And who will go for us?”  Isaiah humbly replied, “Here am I.  Send me!”  I would like to share some of the things I prayed about and meditated on as I listened to the song.  (I encourage you to watch this video to get a feel for what I am about to share.)

My story is a part of God’s plan

The day prior to attending a Faith@Work Summit, I played this song.  I was affected deeply by its message that “somehow my story is a part of your plan”.  I was filled with immense gratitude as I acknowledged that God had prepared me over a lifetime of working in His presence to begin a new season of ministry to help others to understand the theology of work.

The story of David and Goliath expresses a similar attitude.  He saw Goliath taunting God’s people, and he made himself available to be God’s man at that moment.  In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus also modeled this posture of total surrender to the will of His Father, and chose the cross.

This “blank check” mentality of complete submission to God’s will for one’s life is one that every person coming to faith in Jesus would express at the time of their salvation experience.  I imagine that for some Christians, this simple prayer of dedication to God’s purposes might be a daily event.

My life is an offering

A line in the chorus that strikes me is “all of my life I make an offering”.  He is intentional about presenting himself to God in submission and trust.  This is a costly sacrifice that the Apostle Paul urged the members of the church in Rome to make also: “offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship” (Rom. 12:1).  Unlike the OT sacrifices, where what was given to the Lord was dead, this is a living sacrifice, one we can make every day.

It occurred to me that this same humble attitude of yielding completely to God’s purposes for our lives could also be expressed at major milestones or critical launch points at every stage of our adult development (i.e., graduating from college and landing that first job, getting married, having a child, reassessing our careers at mid-life, and deciding what to do before we are about to retire).

Let me describe for you what this kind of deliberate submission to God’s plan might look like as we embark on each new calling throughout our lives.  As we begin our vocational journey after high school, college, trade school, or some other path, a young Christian man or woman might seek God’s blessing as they move into the work force to be God’s representative in their chosen field.  As a young couple becomes parents, they would certainly want to bring their desires to become a godly mother and father, and ask God to lead them and guide them along their perilous journey.

All of this is based on the understanding that God has good plans which include our broken lives. In His grace and mercy, He allows us to be part of His work by preparing us in the womb, teaching us in the classroom, protecting us in the boardroom, and strengthening us all the way to the tomb.

Failures and fears

The songwriter mentions setbacks, failures, and upset plans and how God is able to use us in spite of them.  God takes the clay pots that we are and somehow turns them into something useful for His kingdom.  (See 2 Cor. 4:7.)  As the Apostle Paul states, “we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10).

When we struggle, we learn to lean on God.  He is always there to give us what we need.  We are reminded that God will finish what He began, alluding to Phil 1:6, which is a promise I count on.

Later, the singer feels overwhelmed by his own weakness.  He is fearful of failing to accomplish the mission to which he is called.  Then he remembers that God is able to put the pieces back together.

I think that there are many Christians who can truly identify with this beautiful song as I do.

If you haven’t prayed this prayer or one similar to it in a while, I encourage you to humbly and sincerely take time to do so when the time and place are right for you.

“Lord, here I am.  Send me!  I submit to whatever you have planned for me.  Use me in spite of my failures, weaknesses and fears as your representative in my family, at work, and in church.”

Russell E. Gehrlein holds a B.S from Colorado State University and an M.A. from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. A retired Master Sergeant, he continues to serve the U.S. Army in a civilian capacity. He and his wife of 43 years live in Missouri and enjoy spending time with their grandchildren. To read more of his work please visit Reflections on Theological Topics of Interest

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