Then I said, “For how long, Lord?”
- from Isaiah 6:11

Over the last few days, we’ve see how Isaiah met the Lord; owned up to the gaps in his life, community and leadership; and volunteered himself – “Here am I. Send me!”

But to fully understand the beauty of what Isaiah is doing in this passage, you need to know this: the job Isaiah is given kinda stinks. The people won’t listen to him. The people will “Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving” (Is 6:9). Their hearts will become calloused, their ears dull and their eyes closed (Is 6:10). This isn’t a glamorous job and isn’t for the faint of heart.

That’s where today’s passage comes in. In the face of this stinky job, Isaiah asks the Lord “How long?” And so do all who volunteer for the tough work that has to be done by the people of God in this world.

You love someone who has cancer and ask “How long will they suffer? How long until healing comes?” You see a systemic injustice and ask “How long will this story keep repeating itself? How long until change comes?” You see someone you love who’s far from God and ask “How long until they have ears to hear and eyes to see the love of Christ?”

Maybe you’ve volunteered this year and have hit challenges. Maybe you’ve found yourself asking “How long, Lord?”

Isaiah asks the question and finds a way to keep moving forward. In fact, his asking of the “How long?” question helps him move forward, deeper and deeper into the work God has for him.

We can’t stop asking the “How long?” question, though we may be tempted to. It feels easier sometimes to just grit out teeth and grind out our season of service. But twisted things happen in our souls when we do this. We distance ourselves from God even as we labor for him.

At the same time, we can’t use the “How long?” question as a reason to stop moving forward. We can’t sit on the curb until we get our answer. We can’t give in to hopelessness. We can’t throw up our hands when the results don’t come as quickly as we wanted or in the way we wanted.

Isaiah’s example of asking “How long?” and moving forward in mission is a challenge for us. Where do you need to be asking “How long?” Where do you need to start moving forward again?