Thinking of two young men today who both want to serve the LORD. Sounds great until further investigation… both have a couple of things in common. 1-Both want to “serve” the Lord. 2. -Both are adamant of where they will “serve” Him- geographically and where they are unwilling to go serve Him! Service with conditions! The reality is they both want to be in control of their lives when it comes to where they are willing and unwilling to go and “serve” Him! So their “desire” to “serve” the LORD is conditional – Their estimation of Jesus, He is not worthy enough for them to be willing to lay down their lives in submission and serve Him anywhere. Their stipulation upon where they will go and won’t go shows the limitation of their valuation and commitment to Him and the souls of men. It is not enough He is “something” He has to be “everything.” Paul wrote, “Christ who IS OUR LIFE!… For me to LIVE IS CHRIST…” { Col 3:1-3;Philippians 1:21}
In some cases the cry is “Here am I Lord, send someone else!”… makes me think of Isaiah, “Here am I Lord send me”- Isaiah in Isaiah chapter 6 had an encounter with the LORD and seen His Holiness and the sovereign King in His glory and said “woe is me” then he said “Here am I send me!”- He did not put any conditions on where the LORD could send him. Isaiah did not say where he was willing and unwilling to go. There was no “negotiations,”{how ludicrous is that} only RESIGNATION and the glad WILLINGNESS to go wherever the LORD wants. His view of the LORD had transformed his evaluation of Him!
To the extent you are unwilling to serve Him is the extent of your love for Him. {John 14:21}.
Love is unconditional! Pray for these two young men to be freed from living in charge of their lives and instead of telling the LORD where they are unwilling to serve would VALUE Him ENOUGH to be willing to serve Him anywhere, because they as Isaiah see Him, “High and lifted up.” Are you “serving” the LORD – “conditionally?” If so, it is because you do not value Him for who He is and there will never be the unconditional surrender to Glorifying Him on His terms, for His sake and there will never be the UNCONDITIONAL – “Here AM I LORD send me!” Conditional surrender is no surrender! If you seek to save your life, you will lose it.
A fresh view of Him is needed, ask Him to reveal himself to you through the Scriptures {Luke 24:27} in such a way that so influences the heart that He is valued above self preservation, self exaltation to where Jesus Christ is life, and no reservation, hesitation but the true exaltation of Jesus Christ, anywhere, anytime you are available because He is worthy in your estimation and with this comes the liberation of the heart to cry,”Here am I Lord, SEND ME!”