March 6 - I Saw the Lord

March 6 - I Saw the Lord - Isaiah 6:1-13

A lifetime of serving the Lord ... "Until the cities lie ruined ... the houses are left deserted ... fields ruined and ravaged, until the Lord has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken." (Isaiah 6:11-12) How long shall I serve you, Isaiah asked? That long. Would you give up everything that you know to serve the Lord?

This chapter is filled with visions of glory, and a commission greater than any of us has ever experienced.

My dad talked about his ordination ... it was a pretty big deal. The Bishop and the Cabinet came to a small town in Iowa to lay hands on Dad as he knelt at the altar, commissioning him into the service of the Lord within the United Methodist Church. But there were no angels to touch his lips with a burning coal, no one expected him to throw himself on the altar with cries of his unworthiness. This was 1960, not 739 bc and while Dad was answering a call that God had placed on his heart, he was not caught up into a vision and was not expected to be the prophet for God's people.

Isaiah was. This commissioning ... from the Lord Himself gave Isaiah the permission and power to speak to the nation of Judah with words of condemnation and hope from the Lord on High!

First he was caught up into a most amazing vision.

"I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple." (Isaiah 6:1)

Can you see that? Take just a moment to allow the glory of that image to overwhelm you.

Now, add 6 seraphs (angels), each with six wings. This might be a little more difficult to imagine unless you have an artistic mind. But, give it a shot. You might find that you have more in you than you know!

"With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying." (Isaiah 6:2)

Think about that for a moment - see these 6 angels flying - surrounding this great throne. Everything is filled with light ... the Lord is in His temple ... the train of His robe ... fills that temple!

"And they were calling to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke." (Isaiah 6:3-4)

Isaiah's senses were on overload. Smell the smoke, hear the sound of the voices and sense the trembling of the threshold. See the Lord before you.

How could any normal man be worthy to be in the presence of the Lord? Isaiah knew that he wasn't. "Woe is me!" he cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty." (Isaiah 6:5)

He knew that no man can look on the face of God and live. But, God was not prepared for him to die. God wanted more from this man. An angel flew to Isaiah with a live coal from the altar. He touched Isaiah's mouth ... removing the guilt and granting atonement for his sin. Isaiah was clean.

When the Lord asked who it was that could go out into the world, Isaiah knew that he was prepared. Could anyone be more prepared?

"Here I am. Send me." (Isaiah 6:8)

What is God calling you to do? You aren't here to do nothing. Have you asked Him lately? Are you prepared? Can you cry out to the Lord, "Here I am. Send me."?