February 4th Reflection by Bill Lynch

Isaiah 6:1-8
A Vision of God in the Temple

In 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. Seraphs 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. And one called to another and said:
‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory.’
The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And 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!’

 Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The 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.’ Then 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!’

Reflection
When you contrast the way an earthly king died to the glory of our King in heaven, they just seem to be opposites. King Uzziah died a leper, a man that held God's holiness in contempt. Then Isaiah sees in a vision the hem of God's robe in the temple. Isaiah doesn't even need to see much more of God than his hem to know the holiness of God. Such the contrast to seeing King Uzziah during his reign.

Then the seraphs proclaim the holiness of God. Isaiah was humbled in the sight of this glory and majesty and realized his place. From the altar of the sacrifice came a seraph to Isaiah with a coal to touch his lips. Oh how Isaiah now wanted to proclaim God's message to all the people. His sin was forgiven! Send me!

Is it so much different for us today? Jesus was sacrificed on the altar of the cross for our sin. If you could imagine kneeling at the base of the cross and looking at Jesus in pain. We would feel the fire of passion and the fire of sin all combined into a mix of emotions and love right before our eyes and deep inside of our hearts. Jesus taking on our sin and perhaps a drop of blood touching our lips with a message to proclaim the glory of God. Our sin is blotted out. Our guilt has departed. Will you go to all the world? Yes! Yes! Send me! Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord Jesus, you reach back into time and fulfill scripture. You come into the presence and touch the lives and hearts and lips of your children with love. May we boldly go this day to live out that love for you and for one another. Keep us in your care as we follow you... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen