Tuesday, May 5, 2009

The Constant Call of God

This is one of my absolute favorite passages of Scripture:

1In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.
2Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
3And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory."
4And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.
5Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts."
6Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs.
7He touched my mouth with it and said, "Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven."
8Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

~ Isaiah 6:1-8

Imagine walking into your church on a Sunday morning and finding the scene Isaiah depicted here. It wasn't just good music or an inspiring sermon Isaiah saw and heard. It was the Lord! It was a scene straight out of the throne room of heaven. What would you do?
I'm guessing we'd all do just what Isaiah did: We'd fall on our faces and cry out, "Woe is me!"

After his sins were purged, Isaiah heard the voice of God, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?"
Most scholars say that this was the of Isaiah's call to ministry. I disagree.

Read it again. This wasn't God calling a man named Isaiah. It was a man named Isaiah hearing the call of God. So what's the difference?
It's simple. This call of God goes forth from His throne all the time. God is constantly calling out for a response from a man willing to go. Isaiah heard it and responded with, "Here am I. Send me!"

Have you heard His constant call? How will you respond?

1 comment:

momofthreegirls said...

something to ponder for sure.