In Isaiah’s vision, heaven shakes.

The temple fills with smoke. Seraphim cry, “Holy, holy, holy.” Doorposts tremble. Isaiah suddenly realizes who he is standing before.

And his first response is not confidence.

“Woe to me. I am ruined.”

Before Isaiah ever says “send me,” he first sees God rightly.

That matters.

Because availability to God does not begin with activity. It begins with surrender.

The historical backdrop of Isaiah’s calling is a turbulent one. Israel is divided. The northern kingdom has already begun moving toward destruction. Political alliances are fragile. Nations rise and fall. Assyria threatens everyone.

The northern kingdom tried to play both sides—forming alliances with Assyria and Egypt—and eventually lost both security and identity.

Evil often works that way.

It divides people. It weakens identity. It causes us to forget who we are.

Yet in Judah, something different was happening.

King Hezekiah began leading reform. Pagan altars came down. False worship was removed. Even the bronze serpent Moses once lifted up—a symbol originally used by God for healing—had become an idol.

Hezekiah understood something important:

Even good things become dangerous when they replace God.

So he tore them down.

Then came another crisis.

Assyria threatened Judah.

King Sennacherib sent a message that essentially said: surrender now.

What did Hezekiah do?

He went to the temple.

He laid the letter before God.

And he prayed.

Not because he had another strategy.

Not because he had military strength.

But because faithful people know where to go when they cannot fix things themselves.

God answered.

Judah was preserved.

Isaiah delivered hope.

And somewhere between Isaiah 6 and Isaiah 37 we discover a truth:

“Your best ability is your availability.”

Isaiah said:

“Here am I. Send me.”

Availability sounds simple—but availability requires preparation.

Football players understand this. Coaches can teach plays. Trainers can explain strategy. But players must condition themselves.

Stretching.

Training.

Practice.

Preparation.

The same is true spiritually.

If God asks:

“Whom shall I send?”

Will we be ready?

Are we conditioning ourselves through prayer?

Scripture?

Worship?

Christian fellowship?

Discipleship?

Because availability is not accidental.

It is cultivated.

And when God calls, prepared hearts can answer:

“Here am I. Send me.”

—– —– —– —– —–

Sermon video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am88d9SQWO8

[Blog post created by Sunday Message Repurposing Assistant from original sermon content preached by Rev. Kent F. Jackson on May 17, 2026.]

Sermon Series NOTE: The Story by Max Lucado ch. 16 “The Beginning of the End (of the Kingdom of Israel)