Daily Delight
Uzziah, King of Judah was an intelligent, powerful and popular king in the ancient world. While he reigned—from the young age of 16 and the 52 years to follow—the nation rose to great heights and his people flourished.
What happens when a throne filled with great success finds itself empty after 52 years? Chaos, confusion and a strong need for answers.
Isaiah, an inspiring prophet who ministered during the king’s reign, looks to God for these answers. He receives an extraordinary vision from the Lord, the same year of the king’s death, as a result.
In the vision, Isaiah witnesses God sitting “high and lifted up” on His throne, the great seat of sovereignty.
His response?
After witnessing the profound reality of God’s majesty, power and glory, Isaiah immediately realizes just how corrupt he is. He finds himself humbled by the truth that there is nothing—absolutely nothing—we can do of our own accord that would ever give us the right to stand in the presence of our Maker.
When I read Isaiah 6, I am reminded of my desperate need for God and the fact that I am nothing without the meaning He so sweetly placed on my life, despite my sinfulness. It so beautifully captures the truth that is instilled in God’s Kingdom Come mission for us; we are an unmade people who will one day be remade in His sight!
When we find ourselves overwhelmed and consumed by our “unclean lips”, the enemy will attempt to make us believe we are too far gone to have an intimate relationship with our Creator. But we cannot forget that God first drew near to us, fully aware of our sinful state, so that we in turn would draw near to Him. Nothing can thwart His plan for the restoration of all creation.
God’s sacrifice upon Isaiah is a sweet foretelling of the life and death of Jesus. Jesus presented himself as a sacrifice to us so that we might present ourselves as a living sacrifice to the Father. My prayer for us today is that we would not allow our sin to cloud our vision or have the final say; that we would let God touch our unclean lips; that the victory we have in Christ would challenge and encourage us to boldly pursue our role in God’s Kingdom Come plan, just like Isaiah.
