ON SECOND THOUGHT!

Friday, January 11, 2019

ON SECOND THOUGHT!

Isa 6:8-11

8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

11 Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate…

           Isaiah had seen the Lord in his glory and the light of that glory revealed his sin and shame. He was brought under a deep conviction of his sin. But then cleansing was applied from the sacrifice. Now, being in right relationship with God, he was able to perceive the heart of God.

           He overheard the Godhead ponder the need for a messenger and he eagerly volunteered. Perhaps Isaiah imagined that he would be able to turn the hearts of the people back to God. Perhaps there would be a great revival and he would see great success for his preaching. But it was not to be! No, Isaiah was to go and tell but they would not understand; they would not see nor perceive. They just wouldn’t “get it!”

           Isaiah now realizes he had just volunteered for a task that would be unsatisfying and wearisome. He would preach and nothing would happen; nothing would change. He could not rescind his offer but perhaps he could negotiate the terms. He asks: “Lord, how long?”

           The program of God is not always what we prefer. Like Isaiah, we are ministering in a time of great spiritual ignorance. We preach and nothing happens. People just don’t seem to “get it.” They will come to hear but they will not understand. The purposes of God are not our own. We do not always move from victory to victory but are sometimes called to a monotonous sameness that makes us clock watchers praying for an end to it.

           Verse 13 gives Isaiah enough encouragement to keep going. So we preach the truth not because people will understand but because it is the truth. We do right not because it is popular but because it is right. We persevere because it is His program and not our own.

The call of God upon the life of Paul was this…

 Acts 26:16-18

16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

18 To open their eyes , and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Dear Lord, let me be a faithful witness. Open the eyes and ears and hearts of those that hear that they might be converted. AMEN