Answer like Isaiah

 In Isaiah chapter 6, he starts by telling us that “in THAT year”, that he “clearly saw the Lord.” So I think, for us, people living in a world full of idols and people trying to show us altered versions of who our God is, not to listen to what Isaiah has to say would just be ignorant. 

       In verse 4, He begins to tell us about how when he was in the presence of the Father, he couldn’t help but exclaim how sinful he was. He writes how he didn’t even deserve to be in the presence of God and His angels because of his unclean lips. The crazy thing about Isaiah saying that, was he was a speaker! That was his calling. He spoke in front of people about the amazing works and nature of Our King. But yet, when He stepped into the presence of Jesus, he says “For my words are tainted and I live among people who talk the same way.” 
      But then he tells us that in that exact moment of stammering confession, “that out of the smoke, one of the angels of fire flew to me.” 
        In this book of the Bible, specifically this chapter, “coal” is used as a demonstration of cleansing. When God judged sin, only coals of fire were left, therefore the “coal” is meant to be symbolic of a FINISHED sacrifice.
     Isaiah says that when the angel of fire flew over to him, “he had in his hands a burning coal, that he had taken from the alter with tongs.” 
    Notice how this passage doesn’t say, “the angel picked up the coal with his hands and brought it over to Isaiah.” Instead, It says he had to pick it up with tongs. This is because the coal was hot. 
And just as the fire from the sacrifice was no longer burning, but there were hot coals left. Just the same, the sacrifice of our savior Jesus might be finished, but the repercussions for it is unending. 
     After the angel flew over to Isaiah with the hot coal, he then writes, “ He touched my lips with the coal, and said, See? The burning coal from the alter has touched your lips. Your guilt is taken away; your sin is blotted out.” 
    There is so many important things to pick up on when reading this passage of scripture.
Note this: Isaiah. A sinful and imperfect man. Stands in the presence of a perfect Savior. 
And that Savior doesn’t kick Isaiah out of His presence, but he instead uses the ultimate sacrifice He made for us, and blots the sin away from the exact part of himself that he believed to be dirty. his lips. 
     What do you believe to be dirty about you? Maybe it’s the same as Isaiah? You aren’t proud of the way you talk about other people. Or maybe even you feel your dirty because you cuss too much? Or maybe it’s because you have been with too many boys? But Just as the angel reached out and touched the lips of Isaiah, God is reaching out to you. Just so He can touch your heart and cleanse it. To wash it as clean as clean as snow. 
     But just as significant as the encounter with the Lord that Isaiah had, so is what he did after. 
       So what does Isaiah do with this encounter with the Lord? Well, he doesn’t just go back to living his normal life. But instead he hears God saying to the angels, “Whom should I Send to my people? Who will go represent us?”
      And Isaiah, says more swiftly than any other prophet or servant of the Lord, 
“I will be the one. Send me.”
      See? The same sinful and imperfect man that stood in the presence of Jesus in verse 5, now stood up and took the calling of the Lord in verse 8. 
     The difference? This sinful and imperfect man had a true, encounter with the Lord. He clearly saw the Lord. In that Year. 
     So what are we, people living in this crazy year of 2020, supposed to do with this? 
       
       As I talk to more people, and hear about what the Lord has done for them in their life, the more I realize the importance of sharing our stories. 
If you have an interaction with the Lord, don’t let it be just be a cool story that you keep to yourself! 
SHARE IT! SPREAD IT! 
Isaiah saw the Lord CLEARLY and decided to go to all parts of the world sharing the gospel and telling people what the Lord did for him. 
When God said, “who is going to step up?” Isaiah, in a heart beat, said “ME! SEND ME.”

      Ask yourself, if God asked the world, “Who will represent me?” Would you step up? 
Or are you too scared of what others will say? Are you too afraid to change these sinful patterns in your life? Or are you ready to step up and say “I will be the one. Send me.” 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Psalm 103:1-5

As if the gift of the cross wasn't enough.  As if the sacrifice of His own life wasn’t a great enough display of affection.  My Jesus reaches even further.  He extends His arm of compassion even deeper into my soul.  He Himself is forgiveness in the fullest form.  He didn't despise or reject the lesser evils in my life.   His death was the price for all iniquity.  All my sin. Forgiven.  In full.  The magnitude of my sin was deep, and yet His love for me ran deeper.  Bless the Lord oh my soul.  The washing of my sin, the removal of my transgression.  My brain can't comprehend this kind of mercy.  But He doesn't end this flow of grace at the cross.  His concern does not only consist of my forgiveness.  He wants to heal me.  He cares about every single fiber of my being.  If my soul was sick, I have been made well.  If my body has been bruised by the weight of my iniquity, then I have been healed...
Read more

The Lame Beggar

  Acts 3:1-10 1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the tem...
Read more

A Hungry Heart

  I have these instincts.  These things that are woven into the fabric of my being. It’s like this-  When I'm hungry, I anticipate the next meal that I get to partake in.  I know that the solution to this hunger in the pit of my stomach will be solved by the nutrients found in a meal.  My stomach growls.  My mouth waters.  My brain races with the flavors of the food.  I anticipate it.  I know the food is real.  It's there.  It's tangible.  And so the actions that I make until now and my meal are reflective of the simple fact that I trust it will satisfy me.  The meal is coming.  And so, I move through my task a little faster.  I prepare the ingredients.  I plate the meal.  I prepare to eat.  It's what I need.  And I trust that this is the solution for the groaning in my stomach.  My soul does this sometimes.  It's this groaning in the pit of my heart.  And I know it's a longing ...
Read more