Send Me

Acts 28: 24 – 27 -  Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the prophet:  " 'Go to this people and say, "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving."  For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'

What a trip!  Paul’s ship runs aground on Malta…he is able to shake even a deadly viper from his hand without harm …and arrives in Rome just as God had said....to meet with Caesar.  But the words of Luke do not record the meeting the Lord promised.  Instead Luke speaks of Paul’s continued ministry...in spite of the chains he must wear 24/7…a house arrest that God used for two years to spread the gospel truth. And so Luke ends his discourse on Paul’s life…with the words of Isaiah 6:9-10…spoken to another group of people with hard hearts and sinful lives. I will print Isaiah’s words starting with verse 8…and adding verses 11-12… listen to the verses just after Luke referred to carefully…

^“ 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!” He said, “Go and tell this people:

“‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’  Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.”  Then I said, “For how long, Lord?”

And he answered: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged, until the LORD has sent everyone far…

Truth is...we are all like the calloused people referred to in these scriptures.  We should all pray that God opens our ears…our eyes….and our hearts…DAILY…to the power that Paul used in his ministry. We all must make the choice to hear God or the world.  And even when we choose God we must always be on guard for the traps that Satan WILL place in our path.  There will be people who do not accept the message we are called to preach…there will be times of persecution….there will be long boat rides of “seemingly” lost time…there will be snakes that come out of the fires we build to warm ourselves.  We must do as Paul did…hold fast to the faith we have in the father…and keep our eyes on the final prize…the joy we will receive when we meet with the father face to face for completing the task of spreading his gospel to EVERYONE God places in our lives!

Father…I thank you this morning for life and breath and the opportunity to share your love today! Forgive me for the many days I have not awoke to your sweet voice telling me to go and tell the wonderful things you have done in my life.  I was too busy having a pity party when the reason for my party was caused by my own selfishness. I am so sorry Lord that I have not asked you to open my ears and eyes and heart sooner in my life.  Today is the first day of the rest of my life…so I join Isaiah…and Paul…and the many before me who have said, “send me.”  Open my ears…my eyes…and especially my heart… to always hear your voice and never turn away from your love again. Send me Lord…wherever you need me to go and tell others what amazing things you have done in my life! Amen