Isaiah 6:8

Curator's Note

A single verse that has become a motto for missionaries, ministers, and anyone responding to a sense of calling: 'Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.' The verse comes from Isaiah's overwhelming vision of God enthroned, surrounded by seraphim. After his lips are purified with a burning coal (verses 6-7), Isaiah doesn't hesitate when God asks for a volunteer. The repetition—'Whom shall I send, and who will go?'—emphasizes the question's weight. Isaiah's response is immediate and unreserved: 'Here am I; send me.' Not 'I'll think about it' or 'What exactly is the mission?' Just availability and willingness. The King James rendering captures the spontaneity and urgency of the Hebrew. Four centuries later, these words still inspire people to step forward when they hear what they believe is a call to service, even without knowing what that service will entail.