Too Bad For Me!

Too Bad For Me!

Isaiah 6:1 – In the year of King Uzziah’s death, I saw the sovereign master seated on a high, elevated throne. The hem of his robe filled the temple. 2 – Seraphs stood over him; each one had six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and they used the remaining two to fly. 3 – They called out to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord who commands armies! His majestic splendor fills the entire earth!”

verse 4 – The sound of their voices shook the door frames, and the temple was filled with smoke 5 – I said, “Too bad for me! I am destroyed, for my lips are contaminated by sin, and I live among people whose lips are contaminated by sin. My eyes have seen the king, the LORD who commands armies.” 6 – But then one of the seraphs flew toward me. In his hand was a hot coal he had taken from the altar with tongs. 7 – He touched my mouth with it and said, “Look, this coal has touched your lips. Your evil is removed; your sin is forgiven.”

What a terrifying and relieving vision.  Terrifying because… I’m trying to put myself in Isaiah’s shoes witnessing the demonstration of such incredible power and righteousness – to such a degree that Isaiah felt it was all over for him.  He would be destroyed because he is sinner in comparison to such a display of holiness from God and the workings of his servants, the angels in the throne room.  Would I not feel the same way?  How about you?  “Too bad for me!”  I have seen God and I am condemned. But then the relief!  To hear the words “Your evil is removed; your sin is forgiven.”  I picture Isaiah’s hand going to his mouth where the coal touched his lips and maybe tears are spilling down his cheeks as he realizes – I’m not going to die!

I fear that we may, at times, be deceived into experiencing a counterfeit holiness – we assume we are right with God; that our prayers are reaching Him in His throne room and  we have this presumptive boldness; a vain confidence without a corresponding fear or respect for God, whom we are addressing.  We conjure the relief of forgiveness without the repentance only to be found unprepared for God’s arrival – and if we are unprepared for His arrival…Oh the incomparable terror that will be unleashed upon the lost when Jesus comes again.

Read Isaiah’s experience again.  Let’s fear God and give Him glory.  He is Holy, Holy, Holy!  He is the Lord God Almighty!  And He wants to remove the evil in our lives and on our lips.  He wants to forgive our sins.  Like Isaiah, let us experience the fear of God first.  Let Him remove any evil within us and forgive us.  Oh the joy that will fill our souls – to receive the complete and utter relief that will follow.  Jesus saves!  May Jesus reveal to us the fear and then the relief of knowing that we are sinners saved by grace!