Isaiah believed.

What a whirlwind of a week already!  I'm exhausted, but I'm trusting that the Lord will continue to sustain me--He always does  :)

Today I was reading in Isaiah and something hit me like a ton of bricks.  Yesterday I was reading through the famous calling of Isaiah, where God asks, "Whom shall i send?  And who will go for us?" And then Isaiah pipes up in his shaky voice and says, "Here am I.  Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8).  First of all, I think we often times envision Isaiah to be this bold, saintly warrior who just starts talking to God like He's his bestie.  False.  Isaiah was honestly probably shaking in his boots like nobody's business.  No one just starts talking to God like it happens everyday, I mean let's get real here.  Isaiah was a man, just like you and just like me.  He had emotions--scared, happy, sad--whatever the case may be.  God chose Isaiah because Isaiah was willing.  Other than that, Isaiah was just an average guy.  God will use anybody and anytime to do anything when we are willing to die to ourselves and live for Him.  K.  Point one.  Moving on.

So following this verse, God tells Isaiah what to say and all that jazz.  Great...moving on.

Have you ever realized how hard God's message to Isaiah must have been for Isaiah to receive?  God basically says, "Look Isaiah.  Your people are going to turn away from me.  And in the midst of all that, I want you to proclaim me as Yahweh.  I want you to be the light in the darkness.  You're my guy."  I'ms sure Isaiah was like, "Uh...God.  Me?  Really?  I think you picked the wrong guy."  Can you imagine being told that you were going to be the ONLY one who would still believe God?!  The awesome part about this passage is the very end of chapter eight.

Isaiah 8:17 says, "I will wait for the LORD who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob.  I will put my trust in him."

Against all odds, Isaiah believes God.  It wasn't like God chose Isaiah and then was all "buddy-buddy" with him.  God chose Isaiah and then allowed him to feel just as alone as the ENTIRE house of Jacob felt.  Regardless of what he FELT, he still trusted in faith that God would deliver and that he would come through on his promises.  Isaiah believed His God was bigger than any army or people group.  Isaiah believe His God was Mighty and Powerful.

The funny thing is, God calls us to be just like Isaiah.  Believing against all odds.  Seeing the unseen.  Trusting in a Most High God.  Are we up for the challenge?