Send Me

Sing of God’s unfailing love and say here I am God, send me. 

“David went to Nob, to Ahimelek the priest. Why is no one with you?” David answered Ahimelek the priest, “The king sent me on a mission…Now then, what do you have on hand?…the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence…David asked Ahimelek, “Don’t you have a spear or a sword here? The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.” David…was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath. So he pretended to be insane in their presence” 

1 Samuel 21:1-13

Do you ever feel like you are wandering through life? Ever feel like you do not know what to do? Ever feel ill equipped or unprepared? David had nothing when he was running from Saul, but God provided everything he needed, and his mindset made all the difference. He was a man on a mission.  He says I was sent by the King.  

How would it change how you lived if you thought of every day as one where you are called and sent? Do you live life like you are on a mission? Do you live with expectation and intentionality guided by a gut level awareness of what you are meant to do with what you have been given? Each step of the way God provided exactly what David needed. David was given heavenly bread, protection with the sword that was used when he had previously served in battle, and even given the idea to act insane so he would not be harmed. On paper, David was not equipped, prepared, or capable. Yet by faith, he moved and He saw God move. 

Many of us might have given up early. If you’re a rule follower, you might not have eaten the sacred bread. God cares more about you than a sacrifice of bread that was made on your behalf.  Where have you focused more on rules than on your relationship with Jesus? Some people might not have gotten the sword. David was bold and He asked for what he could have. Where have you been timid about asking for what you need? 

Some people get so caught up in what they don’t have that they do not simply walk by faith with what that they do have. Often our past is the very thing that helps prepare us for our future purposes. It was David’s past bravery that won him the sword. Our past is meant to propel us forward towards our purposes as we are sent.  Where have you been thinking about what you don’t have rather than focusing on what do have? Where have you worried about what you are not qualified to do rather than focusing on what you can do? 

Would you make it past King Achish? Would you be willing to act insane in order to serve God? How often do we let our pride or what other people’s opinions keep us from our calling? How has the desire to conform kept you from living transformed? Would you sing, dance, shout and look insane if it is what it takes to help you best serve the king?

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story. Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains. He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. He turned the desert into pools of water…The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked shut their mouths. Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.”

Psalms 107:1-43

We can make following Jesus very complicated or we can join in the songs of all creation. David sang give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever.  Do you believe this? When hard times come or you’re feeling like things cannot get worse, can you still sing of his unfailing love? 

Something powerful happens when we cry out and seek God. He answers. He moves.  He redeems and restores.  He provides. He comforts. He meets us right where we are and makes a way forward. Where are you today? What is the state of your heart? Where do you need to see God move and how do you need to hear his voice? 

David said let the redeemed tell their story. Why? Why does this matter? Do you believe that sharing your story matters? God uses everything that we will offer him for good. He is a perfect God who steps into our imperfect lives and makes us new. Then He sends us to other people who need hope and to be saved. God gives us a mission every day that is to share your story and sing songs of joy as you give thanks to him for all that he has done, is doing, and will do. 

It is incredible to consider the words of David in this song as you think about Jesus. God is not distant. He steps into our story through his Son. It is Jesus who breaks our chains. It is Jesus who calms our storms with a whisper. He is the bread of life and the living water that flows within us. He satisfies our thirst and feeds our souls. He leads us along the path everlasting.  How will you praise him today? The word says the upright see and rejoice.  

“My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, who have left the straight paths to walk in dark ways, who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways. Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words, who has…ignored the covenant she made before God.” Proverbs 2:1-17

Pay close attention to the verbs in this passage. Following Jesus is an active pursuit.  Solomon says accept, store, turn, apply, call, cry out, look, and search. Does that sound like sitting on your hands or like you need to move? Many people wonder why they do not see God move and God says you never put in any effort. Apathy is a one-way avenue to the abyss of loneliness, isolation, and emptiness. The enemy loves it when you do nothing and put off pursuing God. 

Jesus said ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened. Solomon says the same thing here. Look at the ways that Solomon says God answers our prayers. He says that God gives, speaks, holds, shields, guards and protects. God is always moving. As you open your ears and look with active eyes, you can always see and hear Him. What will your approach be today? Will you give God your best by walking with expectation and knocking with enthusiasm? Will you raise your hand and open your heart to be used by God?

“I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” 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!” Isaiah 6:1-8

Isn’t it amazing that on the same day that David said he is sent on a mission the text aligns in Isaiah with the invitation to be sent on mission for God? Is that an accident or is God speaking to you today? Does God want you to answer the call and step further into a life where you are sent? 

What will you say?  Will you say here I am send me? Or will you say there they are, send them? It is easy to pass the buck and shift the responsibility to paid professionals, but the truth is one day you will stand before God. He will review your deeds and you will be judged by what you did. 

One day, we will all stand before God. He is on his throne and will be exalted.  It is easy to make excuses like we are people of unclean lips and that would be true, if not, for the sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus set us free so that we could become sent people empowered by the Spirit to be His hands and feet to the world. The only thing that stands between you and doing God’s will is whether you will have a heart to be sent.  

“And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss…He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison…thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated…And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.” 

Revelation 20:1-15 

Isn’t it nice when things are black-and-white?  When there is no doubt about what will happen. What more could God do? He pursues us, He made a path for us to peace with Him by covering our sins through the blood of Jesus, He empowers us by the Holy Spirit, and He invites us to a personal relationship with Him. He even tells us that there will be a day of judgment, and there is a book of life. He says anyone whose name is not written in the book will spend eternity suffering. 

Why would even one person suffer?  God does not want that to happen. He is a righteous and just God. He lets us choose what our deeds will be and whether we desire Him. So what will it be for you? Will you sing praises, seek and serve Him, or do you want to suffer in the lake of sulfur?  Seems like a pretty obvious choice, but life on earth is not as easy as it sounds. Satan, sin all around and in us, separateness, selfishness, and how susceptible we are to temptation and the the twisting of truth can influence our thinking. 

The call is to see with unveiled eyes and lips cleansed by Christ. We are called to join in the song of all creation who gather to celebrate the goodness of God. God is asking, will you go? Let us be like David. Let us live with the end in mind and be missional people. Let us stand and shout here I am Lord. Send me. Then sing every step of the way.