Who Will Go
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord asking:
Who will I send? Who will go for us?” - Isaiah 6:8 csb
I’ve been reading the journals of Jim Elliot. Jim was one of five missionaries martyred in 1956 during Operation Auca, an effort to share the gospel with the Huaroani people of Ecuador. I first learned about Jim when I was a missionary living abroad in Mallorca, Spain, with my wife and two children. From the moment I heard their story, I was captivated. I’ve always admired those brave men who left behind the comforts and conveniences of America to bring Jesus to an unreached people group deep in the jungle. Jim’s story, in particular, has always fascinated me. Every time I read his words or hear about his life, I find myself moved to tears. I can’t fully explain why—it just happens.
Tonight, as I prepare my Christmas Eve message, I felt compelled to read today’s entry in Jim’s journal. In it, he reflects on the prophet Isaiah and the words God spoke to him. What struck me most was a quote Jim tried to recall from another missionary, Amy Carmichael:
“If thy dear home be fuller, Lord,
For that a little emptier my house on earth,
What rich reward that guerdon were!”
I had to read it several times to fully grasp its meaning. Here it is in simpler terms:
“If my earthly home is a little emptier so that your heavenly home is fuller, Lord, what a great reward that would be!”
This quote, first from Amy and then echoed by Jim, captures a profound willingness to sacrifice for God’s kingdom. It expresses the joy found in contributing to His Kingdom. Isaiah 6 tells us that when God asked, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Isaiah, like Jim and Amy, responded, “Here I am. Send me.” (Vs9). They all understood the great sacrifices their lives would demand for the expansion of God’s Kingdom and still joyfully said, “Send us, Lord, so that your house may be fuller because we were willing to give up our own.”
They saw their lives as insignificant compared to the work, and calling of the Lord. They grasped the urgency of bringing the “Good News” (Isaiah 40:9) to those who had never heard it. They understood the privilege of being sent and took to heart Jesus’ words: “Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25). What an incredible perspective they all had. No matter how much they gave up, they knew they would receive much greater. You cannot out give God.
How I long to be like Jim, like Amy, like Isaiah—ready and willing to say, “Here I am. Send me.” I pray I may never lose that willingness to go where He calls.
”But as it is written, What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived — God has prepared these things for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 csb
Agape, Frank
