Here Am I LORD, Send Me!

"Welcome Back Kotter" was a hit TV Show which aired in the 1970's. I didn't watch it too much because of some of the male vulgarities shared on the show, but I did agree with the main theme of the show.

Here’s a brief synopsis of the show: High School teacher returns to his alma mater in order to help some students in a remedial class that had been written off by society, they're parents, the other teachers and even the principal. These students were considered to be born losers and destined to stay that way. But Gabe Kotter (the teacher) who graduated from the same high school, after having attended the same remedial class, had a passion to teach these kids to live above the lowly expectations the world had applied to them. Mr. Kotter, not only taught these students in class, but he also invested in their lives outside of class and truly cared about their welfare.

One of Mr. Kotter’s students, Arnold Horshack was well known for always raising his hand and saying, “Ooo, Ooo, Ooo, Ooo!!” He always wanted Mr. Kotter to pick him. But his motivation wasn’t always pure. Which brings to mind, someone in Scripture who did something similar, but with pure motivations. Who was this man? He was the Prophet Isaiah.

In Isaiah 6:1-8, we are taken to the time when Isaiah had just had a vision of Heaven, where he sees the Lord our God seated on His throne, with seraphim flying around Him, singing His praises and worshiping our glorious God! Isaiah then hears the voice of the Lord, which shakes the foundations of the threshold and fills the temple with smoke. Immediately, Isaiah sees himself as God sees him: filthy, wretched, an unworthy sinner before a holy, pure, good, righteous, omniscient and omnipotent God! Naturally, Isaiah was terrified for he knew that he was a dead man! He clearly saw his guilt, his shame and his uncleanliness and probably thought this was Judgment Day, and was about to be sentenced to eternally damnation in Hell.

As Isaiah realizes his destitute state, he trembles with fear as one of the seraphim flies over to him after picking up a burning coal from the altar! Isaiah braces for the impending horror he is anticipating, but to his surprise, the seraphim does not bring him harm. Instead, the seraphim touches the burning coal to Isaiah’s lips and says:


“Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

~ Isaiah 6:7


No longer is Isaiah trembling with fear, but he is filled with joy beyond anything he has ever known. He realizes that he has escaped death, and the punishment he rightly deserves for his sins against God. Isaiah is completely captivated by the glory of the Lord God Almighty and revels in this incomprehensible gift from God – his salvation! As Isaiah stands in awe of God’s mighty gift to him, he hears the Lord of hosts asking:


“Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”


Out of a heart, overflowing with love and gratitude to the Lord God Who cleansed him from his sins, Isaiah could not help but shout:


“Here am I! Send me.”


The difference between Horshack and Isaiah is that while they were both overtaken with excitement, Horshack was only excited because he wanted attention, he wanted to feel good. He was tired of being overlooked and enjoyed being noticed; feeling like he was important to somebody.

Isaiah on the other hand was grateful for a gift he knew he didn’t deserve, therefore was willing to go through painful trials in order to demonstrate his gratitude to the One who set him free! He had no thought or desire for himself as he was completely captivated and fixed on the One who rightfully should have sentenced him to death, but mercifully and graciously gave him life.

Okay, sisters, let’s take out those mirrors and take a real good look at ourselves…with OUT our makeup on. And let’s be real honest with ourselves, and others.

Who do you resemble most?

Horshack, the one who's tired of being ignored, overlooked or just plain rejected; therefore, secretly desires for someone, some person to notice him so he can feel that he is of some worth?

Or Isaiah, who cares not if anyone considers him to be anything, but is willing to give up everything in order to offer his love to the One he is eternally indebted to?




Lord God in Heaven, thank You for our salvation. Thank You for making us acceptable in Your sight. Please forgive us for forgetting the high cost in which our lives were purchased – the blood of Jesus, the life of Your holy and perfect Son. Please forgive us Father for going on with our days without a thought or care about your Kingdom and the fact that there are many out there who are completely lost and will go to Hell today if they do not repent and call on the name of Jesus Christ. Please forgive us for getting so caught up in the things that we enjoy, trying to feel useful or whatever it is that pulls us away from You, that we forget, we forget all that we have been forgiven of, and saved from. Gracious, forgiving Father God, today, make us daughters who see what you see, love what you love and hate what you hate. May we, as Your daughters, resemble You, our Father. And in everything we do, may we seek to save those that are lost, for the glory of Your name and in honor of Your Gift – eternal life in Jesus Christ.

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