Monday Morning Devotion – 1/15/07 (What Now?)

(1) The same year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting on a throne that was being lifted high, and his royal garments filled the temple. (2) Seraphs were standing above him, each with six wings. With two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. (3) One called to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, YHWH of hosts. The whole world is filled with his glory. (4) The doorposts on the threshold trembled from the sound when they called out, and the house was filled with smoke. (5) I said, “Woe to me! I’m going to be destroyed, because I am a person with impure lips, and I am living amongst people with impure lips, yet I have seen the king, YHWH of hosts. (6) And one of the seraphs flew to me with a red hot coal in his hand that he had taken with tongs from the altar. (7) He touched my mouth with it, and said, “Look! This has touched your lips and removed your guilt and brought forgiveness of your sin.”

(8) Then I heard the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” And I said, “Me! Send me!” — Isaiah 6:1-8

It’s the beginning of another week. I hope you were reminded over the weekend of what God has done for you. Perhaps you experienced God’s presence in a new way over the weekend. Perhaps you felt the convicting power of the Holy Spirit and determined to make some changes in the coming week.

The question is this: What are you going to do about it?

There are many examples of God’s empowerment, forgiveness, and calling in the Bible. We have Jeremiah who was reluctant, Moses who argued, Gideon who required repeated reassurance, and Balaam who went where he wasn’t called.

But Isaiah is the best example. Consider this:

1. He received salvation/forgiveness

2. He was cleansed.

3. He was touched by God’s fire

4. He said, “Send me.”

Now compare his reaction to the way in which many of us react. We attend a wonderful worship service. We go to the altar. Someone prays for us. We feel the presence and the power of God. Then we go home and wish all week that we could have that feeling again.

As long as you’re sitting around waiting for the feeling, it’s going to go past you. When God empowers you, he has something in mind for you to do. Now of the people I listed, only Balaam was one of the bad guys. Moses become one of the greatest prophets. Jeremiah had a powerful ministry, but he was miserable most of the time. Gideon eventually got it all straightened out. But Isaiah really understood the plan. Once he was touched by God’s fire he knew the only thing to say was, “Me! Send me!”

So are you wondering where the fire has gone? Are you spending miserable weeks hoping for some moments of relief in God’s presence at church (and frequently being disappointed at that)? Then hear God saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?”

If you want to keep his presence and power in your life, say “Me! Send Me!”