In Isaiah 6:8, we find a powerful moment where the prophet Isaiah encounters God in a vision. The Lord asks, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Isaiah, overwhelmed by God’s holiness and grace, responds with the words that have stirred the hearts of countless believers throughout history: “Here am I. Send me!”
This is the same response Jesus sought when He called His disciples. When He approached Peter and Andrew by the sea and said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19), they immediately left their nets and followed Him. There was no hesitation, no calculating the risks, no weighing pros and cons—just a wholehearted “Yes.”
The Cost of Saying Yes
Saying yes to God’s call is not about convenience; it’s about commitment. Jesus made it clear that following Him comes with a cost: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). The early disciples understood this and left behind their jobs, families, and security to follow Jesus wherever He led. Their yes was total.
In the same way, God is calling young men and women today to step into the unknown for His glory. Some are called to foreign mission fields, others to serve the lost and broken in their own cities. But all of us, at some point, must answer the same question Isaiah heard: Who will go?
Examples of Radical Obedience
Many throughout history have said yes to God’s call, and their obedience has changed the world. Amy Carmichael left the comfort of her home in Ireland and spent over 50 years in India, rescuing children from temple prostitution. She once said, “One can give without loving, but one cannot love without giving.” Her yes led to a lifetime of sacrifice and love poured out for the least of these.
Hudson Taylor, the founder of China Inland Mission, left England and immersed himself completely in Chinese culture to share the gospel. He didn’t demand that people come to him—he went to them, living as they lived so that he could win them for Christ. He once wrote, “God isn’t looking for people of great faith, but for individuals ready to follow Him.”
More recently, Heidi Baker has demonstrated what it means to say yes to God in the modern world. She and her husband left everything to minister to the poorest of the poor in Mozambique. Their ministry has seen miracles, salvations, and the transformation of entire villages. But it all started with a simple, unreserved yes.
Excuses That Keep Us From Saying Yes
If we’re honest, we often hesitate to say yes to God. The disciples didn’t, but many people do. Here are some common excuses:
- “I’m not qualified.” Moses felt the same way when God called him to lead Israel out of Egypt. He said, “Who am I that I should go?” (Exodus 3:11). But God wasn’t looking for Moses’ ability—He was looking for his obedience. The same is true for you.
- “I need to figure out my life first.” Jesus encountered a man who wanted to follow Him but said, “First let me go and bury my father.” Jesus replied, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:59-60). The lesson? The call of God doesn’t wait for the perfect timing—it’s now.
- “I’m afraid.” Fear is normal. The disciples faced storms, persecution, and even death. But they kept going. Why? Because they trusted Jesus more than their fears. Paul reminds us, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).
What Happens When We Say Yes
Saying yes to God doesn’t mean life will be easy, but it does mean it will be purposeful. When Peter and John stood before the religious leaders, threatened for preaching Jesus, they boldly replied, “As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). Their yes led to persecution, but it also led to the spread of the gospel across the world.
When we say yes:
- We step into the unknown, but we walk with the One who knows all things.
- We lose our comfort, but we gain eternal purpose.
- We face opposition, but we also experience God’s power in ways we never imagined.
Your Yes Matters
You might not know where God is leading you yet, but you don’t have to. Isaiah didn’t have a five-year plan. The disciples didn’t have a roadmap. They just had a willing heart and an immediate yes.
God isn’t looking for perfect people; He’s looking for surrendered ones. If you feel the call of God stirring in your heart today, don’t wait. Say yes. Step out. Trust Him. Whether it’s reaching the lost in your neighborhood or going to the nations, your yes can change the world.
So, when God asks, “Whom shall I send?”—how will you respond?
