John Bunyan Heard the Master's Voice-Then Answered! Have You Heard the Master's Voice? Have You Answered? A Point to Ponder . . .

Isaiah sees God, hears God's voice, and answers God's call to be a prophet!

A Devotional Thought for Wednesday January 28, 2026

From the pen of John Bunyan author of The Pilgrim's Progress

The Author’s Call to the Ministry

 “Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me.’”

Isaiah 8: 6

And now I am speaking my experience, I will in this place thrust in a word or two concerning my preaching the Word and God’s dealing with me. For after I had been about five or six years awakened [converted, I] helped myself to see both the want and worth of Jesus Christ our Lord. I also ventured my soul upon him. Some of the most able among the saints, did perceive that God had counted me worthy to understand something of his will in his holy and blessed Word. And [He] had given me utterance, in some measure to express what I saw to others for edification. Therefore, they desired for me, with much earnestness, that I would be willing to take in hand, in one of the meetings, to speak [preach] a word of exhortation unto them.

Wherefore, the church desired, after prayer to the Lord—with fasting—I was more particularly called forth and appointed to a more ordinary and public preaching of the word. Not only to, and amongst them that believed, but also to offer the gospel to those who had not yet received the faith. And about that time, I did evidently find in my mind a secret pricking for the task. And I bless God, not for desire of vain glory. But at that time, I was most sorely afflicted with the fiery darts of the devil concerning my eternal state.

Yet I could not be content, unless I was found in the exercise of my gift, unto which also I was greatly animated, not only by the continual desires of the godly, but also by that saying of Paul to the Corinthians, “. . . [T]he household of Stephanas . . . devoted themselves to the service of the saints” I Corinthians 16: 15.