Isaiah 6:1-8 (9-13) (NRSV)
Read Isaiah 6:1-8 (9-13) on biblegateway.com
Chapter 6In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Verse 2Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. Verse 3And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory." Verse 4The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke.
Verse 5And I said: "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" Verse 6Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. Verse 7The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: "Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out." Verse 8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I; send me!"
Verse 9And he said, "Go and say to this people: 'Keep listening, but do not comprehend; keep looking, but do not understand.' Verse 10Make the mind of this people dull, and stop their ears, and shut their eyes, so that they may not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and comprehend with their minds, and turn and be healed." Verse 11Then I said, "How long, O Lord?" And he said: "Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is utterly desolate; Verse 12until the Lord sends everyone far away, and vast is the emptiness in the midst of the land. Verse 13Even if a tenth part remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak whose stump remains standing when it is felled." The holy seed is its stump.
Devotion
Although likely infrequent, given the hustle and bustle of our busy lives, moments of divine encounter in our spiritual journey are literally “God Pause” events that evoke a sense of wonder and awe, especially when we feel unworthy. This is exactly what happened to Isaiah, shaping and transforming his life, and revealing his true calling. Recognizing his own failings, Isaiah marveled at being blessed to see the Lord of hosts! Forgiven and freed from sin, he had newfound courage to boldly answer the Lord’s call.
As we pause to allow the Living Word to speak to our heart, we hear the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send?” Pausing to marvel at the awe and wonder of God’s presence in our lives evokes humility and obedience. Faith and trust embolden us to overcome our imperfections and limitations, so we can embrace the call to say, “Here am I; send me!”
Prayer
Almighty Lord, thank you for your loving presence and the reassurance that we are forgiven and freed from sin, by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. Give us the courage to acknowledge our failings and trust you will provide the strength to pursue the purpose for which you have called us. Amen.
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