Then I heard the voice of ADONAI [the LORD] saying: “Whom should I send, and who will go for Us?” So I said, “Hineni. Send me.” Isaiah 6:8, TLV
Hineni — I’m Here! There’s a powerful Hebrew word, Hineni (הנני), that is translated into English as Here I am — or Here am I. Isaiah calling out this word while watching a majestic, heavenly scene, a mere human, was brave. To watch seraphim in worship of the Creator of the Universe must have been frightening (vss. 1-3). Typically, anyone within close proximity of the LORD of Hosts didn’t last too long. (I’m reminded of the images of Raiders of the Lost Ark, you know where GOD melts the Nazis’ faces.)
Then I said:
“Oy [Woe] to me! For I am ruined!
For I am a man of unclean lips,
and I am dwelling among a people of unclean lips.
For my eyes have seen the King, ADONAI-Tzva’ot [the LORD of Hosts]!” (vs. 5, TLV)
One of the seraphim took a coal and purged Isaiah’s lips and assures Isaiah that his sins are now atoned (vs. 6-7). Then ADONAI sends out a call — He “needs” a messenger who would go to the people. Before even knowing what the message is and any repercussions that could follow Isaiah calls back: Hineni — Here I am! Send me!
Does that seem presumptuous? This little guy watching flying fiery angels in worship of the King of the Universe, and he raises a trembling hand and says, “Pick me.”
Send me.
Have we experienced an acceptance to GOD’s call? Maybe we weren’t in the throne room of ADONAI with flying angels — if you were, I’d love to hear your story — but perhaps it was in the quietness of prayer. Or during a service when a call goes out for help. Before we even know what it is, we say, “Here I am. Use me.”
It could be the person in front of you at the grocery store checkout who doesn’t have enough money to pay. Hineni. The neighbor who has no one to drive them to a doctor’s visit. Hineni. There are moments all around us. Moments were our Heavenly Father asks, “Who will go for Me?”
If you think about it, it’s pretty amazing. Our Dad — the Creator of the Universe — asks us to do something for Him. Hineni.
