It is instructing that Isaiah, among all of the ancient prophets unsurpassed in mastery of his prophetic language, responded with contrition and meekness to his calling: “Then said I, woe is me! for I am undone [i.e., overwhelmed by a sense of inadequacy]; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5). Then in the continuing heavenly vision the Lord dispatches one of his angels to reassure the newly called prophet: “thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged” (verse 7), whereupon Isaiah responds with humble words reminiscent of the Savior’s own response in the premortal realm: “Here am I; send me” (verse 8; compare Abraham 3:27). This pattern of meekness in the face of a divine calling is not unlike the attitude of Moses on the mount: “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh,” says Moses to the Lord, “and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
(Exodus 3:11). Whereupon the Lord responds with reassurance, “Certainly I will be with thee… .” (Exodus 3:12). But Moses persists: “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue” (Exodus 4:10). Now the Lord comes back with this unassailable logic: “Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say” (Exodus 4:11–12).
In a similar way, Jeremiah had to overcome deep feelings of inadequacy when he was called as prophet: “Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child” (Jeremiah 1:6). Then the reassuring words of the Lord came to him: “Say not, I am a child; for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord. Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth” (Jeremiah 1:7–8). In ancient America, Moroni too expressed feelings of incompetence: “Lord, the Gentiles will mock at these things, because of our weakness in writing… . And thou hast made us that we could write but little, because of the awkwardness of our hands… .” (Ether 12:23–24). But the Lord’s response to this sense of inadequacy is the same as the response to Moses, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and all leaders called to serve: “If men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they will humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27).
Thus the ancient records plainly teach the key to service and the answer to feelings of inadequacy on the part of anyone called on the Lord’s errand: His grace is sufficient to lift us above our weakness and infuse our souls with the strength and the vision to succeed. When the Lord extends a calling, He provides the grace, the power, and the ability to make us equal to the task. He reminds us: “With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27). (Richard J. Allen)