When we encounter or even ponder God’s magnificence, power, and awesomeness, we easily begin to feel our own smallness and perceived insignificance. After all, who can compete with eternal greatness, seraphim, or the ability to catch great numbers of fish? We unfortunately think that God’s presence somehow overrides us, reduces our importance, and only seeks to judge our inadequacies and doubts. Things begin to change a bit when we realize that what we may have seen as overwhelming and frightening is really only unconditional, unmerited love. Love has tremendous majesty and power. When we listen to this power and stop seeing it as threatening or dooming, our fear dissipates and Divine friendship takes root. Remaining close to what we once preferred at a distance, we can journey to places we never thought possible and do things we never thought we could do. Strengthened by Divine friendship and encouraged by its life-giving power, we can say “here I am, send me!” when God asks, “whom shall I send?” Sin and fear no longer are of concern to the one who remains close to God in a bond of trust.