I Saw The Lord

There are so many beautiful awe-inspiring things we see every single day.  Sunrises and sunsets, flowers and trees, the sun, moon and stars, rivers and lakes.  It is true - "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." (Psalm 19:1).

In the midst of all of this beauty we often go about our days unaware and therefore unmoved by all the majesty surrounding us.  All the while God is whispering and sometimes shouting - "I am here.  I care.  I see you.  Look around and you will see Me."

Isaiah the prophet had such an experience.  Catastrophe hit.  King Uzziah died.  Israel's future was unknown and God's people felt heartache, fear, pain and grief.   Isaiah goes to the temple (he goes to church), but this is not a "normal" church service.  The Lord gives Isaiah eyes to see the King who never dies and always reigns.  It is a beautiful, holy, awe-filled sight.  Angels flying, the doorposts and thresholds shaking, smoke filling the room, the presence of the Holy One leads Isaiah to cry out, "woe is me!  I am ruined!"

I do not know how you feel about God-encounters.  I hear a lot of people say things like, "I am not worthy.  I am not special.  I do not want to waste God's time with my problems."  But God delights in revealing Himself to the people He created - especially when we are "at the end of our rope."  And God meets us at the very place we feel most unworthy.  When Isaiah saw the Lord he said, "I am a man of unclean lips" and an angel comes with a coal from the altar to touch his lips and says "your guilt is taken away and your sin is atoned for."

Then Isaiah HEARS the Lord say, "whom shall I send and who will go for us?"  "God does not call the qualified, but He qualifies the called."  When we have experienced God's forgiveness and grace and mercy and love He enlists us as His witnesses to share with others just how much He loves us.

This coming Sunday we will hear testimonies from our brothers and sisters from First Fruits Christian Discipleship Training Program.  Their stories will be beautiful and awe-inspiring.  The Lord will bring us hope and healing as they share their experiences.  It is my prayer that as we prepare to gather for Sunday worship - that we will not merely "go to church" unaware and therefore unmoved, but that we would see the Lord high and lifted up and that we would hear and answer His call.

See you Sunday,

Steven