Isaiah 6:1-8 (NRSV)
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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!"
Devotion
How many times have we mused over what it would be like to see God? Isaiah was given the vision of a lifetime and it was not what he expected. Even the seraphs must protect their faces in God's presence. "Holy, holy, holy!" they proclaim. A glimpse of God's garment sends him scrambling. Isaiah has become utterly aware of his sin. He knows no one worthy of being in this place. How is it that he, of all people, would be in the presence of God? Sure of impending judgment, imagine his terror: a seraph has selected a burning coal and zooms in his direction. "I'm a goner now!" flashes in his mind.
But what is this? From the altar of sacrifice, he has been cleansed from sin and given unfathomable boldness. Much to our amazement, he volunteers to be the messenger of God's judgment.
Prayer
Holy and astounding God, today we stand in awe of you. As broken as we are, you cleanse us from sin. Grace of this magnitude changes how we see ourselves. We are more ready than we realize. Send us now with news of forgiveness and grace. Amen.