Isaiah 6:8 (Obedience)

What If That’s You? (May The Lord Studio)

“And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me’” (Isaiah 6:8).

How would you respond if the Lord called you to step forward in faith?

No guarantees. Just listen and obey.

Such an open-ended request would scare any one of us, yet many Biblical figures found themselves in a similar position and chose to obey the Lord. People like David, Peter, Esther, Moses, Abraham, Mary, Paul, Joseph, and Thomas. All were faced with critical decisions, yet they listened and obeyed the Lord’s calling rather than cowering in fear.

SONG SPOTLIGHT:

Rarely am I blown away by a song, but I have been gripped to the core with “What If That’s You,” by May The Lord Studio. It is borderline haunting to one’s soul. The music arrangement and lyrics are outstanding (even though it’s ‘AI’ generated), but the conviction it conveys is incredibly intense. [Please listen to it first before reading further as I will reference the lyrics throughout.]

Simply put, “What If That’s You,” puts a spotlight on the immeasurable impact of our personal decisions but by asking self-reflective questions to drive home a powerful message. Questions such as:

• What if David saw the giant and decided not to fight?

• What if Peter saw the water but stayed safely in the boat that night?

• What if Esther kept her silence just to keep her crown secure?

• But what if you've been calling it “being careful” when God called you through that door?

• What if Moses told the burning bush, "Go find somebody else?”

• What if Abraham kept Isaac 'cause he trusted in himself?

• What if Mary heard the angel and said, "This costs me way too much?”

• But what if God's been asking you for something you keep saying that you trust?

It is easy to wrap our heads around significant, historical moments because we know their beginning and end. However, what if each of these biblical characters chose a different path? Would we still remember them? Perhaps, but most likely if someone else stepped up in their place and accomplished what they chose to refuse.

What we do recall and celebrate is that each of these Bible character did respond BY FAITH. Despite real opposition and impending death, each chose to trust in the Lord instead of themselves because they knew He was ultimately in control. They did not need to see the future. The simply trusted that the Lord was sovereignly in control!

“Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed’” (John 20:29).

SELF-REFLECTION:

None of us would care to admit it, but our trust in God and the truth of His Word are where we struggle most. Generally-speaking, we know what the Bible teaches. We just fail to believe it when it truly matters. Fear overwhelms our minds and we doubt whether God will meet us in our hour of need despite the storms which surround us.

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Faith undergirds every decision of our lives and supports our belief that God is who He says He is in the pages of Scripture. By faith, we trust that His plans will benefit us regardless of the outcome. However, our wavering hearts paint a much different picture when we’re forced to step into the fiery furnace instead of away from it.

It should compel us to ponder:

• What if the giant isn't Goliath? What if the giant is your fear?

• What if God already split thе sea? What if you're still too scared to bе free?

• What if the prison isn't iron? What if the chains are what you choose?

• What if you've read about their courage but Heaven's waiting now on you?

It makes no sense to read story after story in Scripture but not connect the dots to our own fragile humanity. God provides opportunities each day to choose faith over fear, but we must remain confident in the power of His Word and not waver when the enemy seeks to derail our mission.

• What if Peter never followed after Jesus said, "Come"?

• What if Paul stayed Saul forever, never blinded by the Son?

• What if Joseph chose revenge when his brothers bowed in shame?

• What if Thomas let one moment make him walk away from faith?

• But what if your biggest battle isn't doubt but what you do when doubt appears?

• What if fear can still be present and you follow Him anyway?

DOUBT:

In the Hebrews 11 “hall of faith,” one central theme is clearly evident. God spoke, people listened, and then they followed through on what the Lord inspired them to do. Fear or doubt may have tempted them to question His command, but they put off any personal hesitation and obeyed His Word BY FAITH despite the cost.

• What if David had a reason? He had plenty, still he threw it.

• What if Moses needed proof? God gave a promise. Said, "Go do it!"

• What if Esther liked her comfort more than risking her position?

• Then a palace would've buried what was meant to be a mission.

• See, we love the finished stories 'cause we know how every page ends.

• Love to quote the ones who stood while making peace with what we're scared of.

• Say, "I'd walk across that water," but won't step beyond convenience.

• Say, "I'd stand before Goliath," while we're bowing to opinions.

Oftentimes, we fall into “Garden of Eden” mode and question the Lord’s authority when He has done nothing but prove His faithfulness over time. A shred of doubt enters our minds and we wonder whether He will meet our desires even though we have everything we need to be happy and content.

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, “You shall not eat of any tree in the garden”?’” (Genesis 3:1).

Keep in mind, Satan baited Eve into questioning God’s authority, but her greatest failure was losing faith in the all-sufficiency of His provision. Confusion entered her mind and she ate the fruit without realizing how she had allowed outside influences to impact her decision-making rather than obeying the Lord’s command.

CONVENIENCE:

It is a sobering to consider how we choose ease and comfort over obeying God’s Word. However, He never promised us a life devoid of trials and discomfort. In fact, He said, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

What that means for us is that expecting a shortcut or an easy way out is not a recipe for success in building our faith. Rather, it is through the testing of trials that we establish steadfastness to withstand the onslaught of pain and difficulty which seek to overwhelm our psyche.

Truth be told, following Jesus is not easy, especially if we place expectations upon how we think our Christian life should be. Instead, we should count the cost of what it means to be His disciple (Luke 14:25-33) instead of expecting a life of ease and comfort.

• You want Red Sea revelation with a sidewalk through the ocean,

• Want the fire without the furnace, want the faith without devotion,

• Want a Jericho to crumble while you whisper from a distance,

• Want a resurrection story without dying to resistance.

• What if Abraham said, "Later?” What if Joshua said, "Wait?”

• What if Daniel changed his prayer life just to make the lions tame?

• What if Shadrach saw the furnace and decided God could understand?

• What if Peter heard, "Come follow," then went fishing like He never asked?

It is only by the testing of our faith that we develop spiritual resolve which has power to move mountains. Jesus coined it as “mustard seed faith,” but we are wise to understand that complete trust in the absolute truth of His Word is the key to guarding our hearts from fear, doubt, and worry.

“The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ And the Lord said, ‘If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it would obey you’” (Luke 17:5–6).

INTROSPECTION:

In most cases, we do not need to wait for a sign from God. He has already spoken absolute truth through His Word. We just need to listen and obey before it’s too late rather than wait for signs which He already provided.

• What if that's you? What if God already spoke.

• But you renamed "No!" to, "I'm just waiting 'til I know?"

• What if peace is really comfort? What if wisdom is your fear?

• What if every sign you're asking for has been standing there for years?

• What if mountains aren't refusing? What if you're refusing first?

• What if God is not withholding and your hands are simply closed?

• You keep praying, "Lord, use me," then deciding how He should.

• "Send me anywhere You want me," means anywhere that still feels good.

It can be difficult not to rebel against God’s sovereignty but refuse to bow the knee in humility and reverence to Christ. Sometimes, we just don’t want to do things His way but instead, forge our own path through the wilderness. We would rather search for an alternate route to peace and contentment rather than put in the blood, sweat, and tears required to get there.

Without realizing it, we can capsize our faith by refusing to acknowledge what was right in front of us all along. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24–25).

Therefore, if we want to be used by the Lord for His glory, we must die to our love of self and step into the light of His grace by living in obedience to His Word. We often complicate faith in our lives today, but it is simply an exercise in learning how to listen and obey more than filling our heads with knowledge and then failing to apply it.

• But Noah built before the rainfall, David swung before he won.

• Mary carried the Messiah before she knew what it would cost.

• Faith ain't knowing every ending, faith is moving when you don't.

• So if Jesus says, "Come follow," there's a question in the room.

• What if you're searching for the message, but every Bible verse keeps pointing back at you?

BOTTOM-LINE:

Saving faith is all about surrendering our personal will to the Lord and following His command wherever He leads. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).

When we reflect upon the sacrifice Christ made on our behalf to reconcile our hearts to the Father for eternity, there is no other response we can muster other than unending praise to Him for paying our debt. As a result, we cannot sit idle but rather step forward in faith to fulfill the Great Commission and preach the Gospel to those around us, no matter the cost.

• What if you're waiting for a sign while you're standing in one?

• What if you're asking God to move and He's asking you to come?

• What if the next Bible story isn't written on a page?

• What if, right now, He's calling your name?

The more we wrap our minds around the critical importance of obedience, the more we can confidently declare to the Lord, “Here I am! Send me.” However, we must be ready and willing to be used for ministry, which begins and ends with spending quality time in His Word and applying what He teaches so our hearts are aligned with His sovereign will.

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:4–7).

Again, no one said saving faith would be easy, but it is well worth it if we understand that happiness is not about avoiding trials but embracing them. The quicker we learn that our faith increases the more we are tested, the more peacefully content we will be when the storms of life seek to capsize our faith and ultimately steal our joy.