Friday, January 3, 2014

Do you know why you were saved? Isaiah 1-6

Isaiah 6:8-9 (NASBStr)
 Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” He said, “Go, and tell this people:
‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive;
Keep on looking, but do not understand. ’

In the first chapters of this great book of prophecy we see Isaiah called by God into service.   In the immediate preceding verses we see Isaiah in the Temple and he sees God.   He is so taken aback that when he sees God's holiness he is humiliated by his own sinfulness.  He believes he is "undone" and can't stand before God.    Yet, God heels him and restores him.   Immediately, after that salvation and restoration, the above verses are recorded for us.   Isaiah is called into service.   He is called AFTER he is restored (salvation).   He is called TO rescue his fellow citizens (service).   God, within the Godhead (note the term "us" in the above verse ... referring to God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit) asks for someone to go to represent them and relay the message.   Isaiah doesn't wait until he has a theology degree, he doesn't wait until he gets board or elder approval, he doesn't wait until he "feels" comfortable, but instead steps us to serve.   Isaiah didn't check his calendar and availability.    He boldly states, "Here am I.  Send me!"   He also didn't wait to find out what the message was God needed delivered.   If he was thinking it was going to be a great message of wonderful news (and, it will be for some) he was mistaken.  Note the message:  "Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand."   The message was one of doom to those he was sent to speak to and minister and to serve.   God wanted Isaiah to tell the nation that they were doomed.   God would use Isaiah to deliver the "good news" of salvation (see later in the book) but the immediate hearers were destined for destruction.   Isaiah didn't bother to wait to see the conditions  of service, he just stepped up and said, "Here am I. Send me!"    Our service should not be conditioned on availability, message, task or even skill set (see the story of Moses in regard to not feeling skilled).   Our service is based upon the fact that God restored us and he restored us FOR service and HIS pleasure, not our own.   Prayer: Help me not to so love this life that I forget I am here for YOUR service, Lord!

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