HOW TO RESPOND TO A HOLY GOD!

 

Sunday, November 14, 2021

 

HOW TO RESPOND TO A HOLY GOD!

 

Isa 6:1-8

6:1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; 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.

6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

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.

 

          Isaiah saw this Holy God because God wanted to be seen. When we begin to see ourselves as righteously complete, God comes to us and shows us Himself and we are immediately reminded of our own particular sin. That is why most of us would rather avoid contact because of the great contrast between His holiness and our sinfulness. We prefer to commune with sinners like ourselves than to be painfully reminded of our deficiencies.

 

          We can’t put on airs and pretend holiness with such a holy God for all things are naked and open before Him (Heb 4:13). With others we may play the saint, but in the presence of an awesome God we are found out. All our righteousness appears as filthy rags (Isa. 64:6) and we cry along with Isaiah that we are undone (Isa.6:5).

 

          Isaiah was immediately made aware of his unclean lips for that was his particular sin. We may be immediately prompted of our lust or our greed or our hypocrisy. The holiness of God pierces the darkness and shines the light of reality on a dirty life. Woe is me, we cry!

 

          Once sin is recognized and confessed cleansing flies forth from the throne. A coal from the altar of sacrifice is placed upon the unclean lips and they are made clean. We hear the pronouncement of pardon: “thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.” The dead air becomes fresh as the morning!

 

          Being made clean we are then able to hear God’s heart. We sense his passion and are made privy to His plans. “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” We rise to meet the challenge not because we are perfect but because we are purged. We are washed and made useful. Like a schoolboy assured of the right answer, our hand shoots up and waves for recognition. We shout with eager anticipation: “Here am I; send me.” Whatever your plans for the day, beg God for a glimpse of His holiness. It makes all the difference.

 

Dear Lord, let me see your holiness today even if the light of thy countenance reveals some sin in me. Let me be useful as one of your volunteers. AMEN