November 15th, 2020
Devotional
“God Calls Isaiah” - Isaiah 6: 1-8
Keep the sermon topic and Biblical text preaching all week by following Pastor Michelle on twitter @tinypastor and reading her sermon blog www.revmichelle.blogspot.com
Monday: “King Uzziah” - Isaiah 6:1
Something that I deeply appreciate about Scripture is that it is both timeless and took place at a particular point in time. In other words, there is something that we can find in it that speaks to our day and time, but there is also a time when it took place.
Case in point, verse one of this week’s text says “In the year that King Uzziah died”. For us that may not mean much, but it is harkening back to what we find written in 2 Chronicles 26, which tells the story of the rise and fall of Uzziah over his several decade reign. When we know that Uzziah started out as a King who feared the Lord, but then became to prideful, acting more like a god than one who worships God, a whole new world opens up to us in the text.
For here is Isaiah, who is the absolute opposite of King Uzziah. Where Uzziah became prideful to the point where he was struck dead, Isaiah comes before God in this vision with absolute humility.
Perhaps we all have acted like both Uzziah and Isaiah at points in our lives. Perhaps there have been times when we have not given God the glory he is due, because we thought we have achieved everything on our own. And maybe other times we realize how unworthy we are to be in the presence of the God of the universe.
Do you think you are more like Uzziah (later in his life) or Isaiah (in chapter 6) when you approach God?
Prayer: God, we marvel both at your Word which is truly a lamp before our feet and your grace to allow us to approach you, the most Holy, when we are so unworthy. Thank you, Lord, for your grace - shining forth both in your scriptures and in the ways you minister to us in our lives. Amen.
Tuesday: “Seraphs” - Isaiah 6:2-3
Someone once showed me a picture of a seraph, trying to sketch what is described by the prophet Isaiah. It was so hard for me to even wrap my mind around. Seraphs are angelic beings, but nothing like the angels that we often see portrayed in statues or on TV.
What is so striking in this particular passage is what they are doing. Here are these powerful beings, but they completely realize who they serve - God alone. They can be seen around the throne of God crying “holy, holy, holy” as an act of worship.
Once again the Seraphs stand against King Uzziah, who certainly did not have as much power as they had, yet their worship is pure. Prior to King Uzziah’s death, he thought that he was worthy to approach the alter in the temple on his own and was struck with a skin disease for his arrogance.
We, too, are created to worship God, but sometimes we get our priorities backwards. We think that worship is about meeting our own needs or what we can get out of it, instead of simply coming before God and crying “holy”.
What does worship mean to you?
What can the Seraphs teach us about worship?
Prayer: Lord, we were made to worship you, but we confess that sometimes we make it about us. Forgive us, O Lord, and let us cry, from a deep place in our spirits, that you alone are holy and worthy of all praise. Amen.
Wednesday: “Woe is Me!” - Isaiah 6: 4-5
Isaiah is so moved by what he is seeing before the throne of God that he is brought to his knees, realizing his unworthiness. He realized that he was not holy enough to be in the presence of our Holy God. He had sinned and he was part of a community of sinners.
Think back to Moses, who lead the people of Israel, but even he was not allowed to see the face of God. Just catching sight of part of God made his face shine so brightly that he had to be covered with a veil because he was frightening the people.
Isaiah would know this about Moses, yet here he is seeing God! He is humbled to the point of realizing that he is not worthy.
This is neither a cry of despair nor is it a false form of humility, instead it is Isaiah’s earnest response in his heart.
When is a time that you have felt unworthy to be in the presence of God?
Prayer: Lord, you alone are holy. Any false claims that we may try to make that we are perfect fall apart in your presence. Yet, you O Lord, invite us to come before you anyone. You invite us to commune with you in prayer. Lord, you are so, so good to us. Thank you for your grace. Amen.
Thursday: “Live Coal” - Isaiah 6: 6-7
The image and symbol of fire is an important one through out scripture. It was often thought to have a cleansing power, such as what we find here with the coal touching Isaiah’s lips.
Fire has also been described as a “refiners fire” for the same purpose, burning away impurities and allowing something that once was to be malleable enough to become something new.
Isaiah confessed before God that he was not worthy to be in God’s presence and God responded with the fire of forgiveness.
We often don’t like to think of the fire of forgiveness. We think that forgiveness means that we simply feel better about what we have done, but as this passage in Isaiah shows us, true forgiveness can change us.
How have you been changed by forgiveness?
Prayer: Lord, we confess that we have cheapened forgiveness. We have made it about what we feel or don’t feel instead of seeing it as an invitation to change. So we cry this day, forgive us - change us, O Lord of hosts. Amen.
Friday: “Send Me” - Isaiah 6:8
After Isaiah confesses his sinful nature and received forgiveness, God commissioned him. God asked who should be sent to the people. Remember that the people have a leader - Uzziah’s son assumed the throne upon his death. But God is asking who shall be sent as a prophet - one with a word from the Lord. And Isaiah, as a response to his forgiveness and the call of God, asks that he be sent.
Sometimes we get so stuck in the thought that we are unworthy that we refuse to go. Or we let our fears of the unknown make us say “not me” to God’s question of “whom shall I send?” But Isaiah invites us to consider how the forgiveness we have received from God doesn’t just change us - it’s changes us for the purpose to respond to God’s call upon our lives.
What has God called you to do and how did you respond?
Prayer: Lord, help us to keep our hearts open to respond to your call. Let us not turn away from you, O Lord. Send us, we pray. Amen.
Saturday: Preparing for the Word
You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic: “God Promises a New Covenant” - Jeremiah 36:1-8, 21-23, 27-28; then 31:31-34
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