What is your visual of God? Is he love? Is he judge? Does he look human? Is he the punisher? Is he the one who protects and provides? Is he real to you? How do you see God when you hear his name?
The Apostle John, once said “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:8 NCV)
God is also the ultimate Judge. King Solomon said “I said to myself, God has planned a time for every thing and every action, so he will judge both good people and bad.” (Ecclesiastes 3:17 NCV)
David Guzik, one of my favorite commentators said “God is not a super-man or the ultimate man. God is not merely smarter than any man, stronger than any man, older than any man, or better than any man. You can’t measure God on man’s chart at all. He is Divine, and we are human.”
Before Isaiah, the great prophet began his work, he saw God and he said “Oh, no! I will be destroyed. I am not pure, and I live among people who are not pure, but I have seen the King, the Lord All-Powerful.” (Isaiah 6:5 NCV)
Why did Isaiah speak with such fear?
Because when we encounter something so Holy as God, even though Isaiah was a Godly man, we see ourselves for who we really are.
Charles Spurgeon, an incredible theologian once said “The more clearly Isaiah saw the LORD, the more clearly he saw how bad his state was.”
Isaiah needed a supernatural encounter in order to be unraveled as a man. Spurgeon also said; “God will never do anything with us till he has first undone us.”
After Isaiah had this holy encounter, he said; “Then I heard the Lord’s voice, saying, “Whom can I send? Who will go for us?” So I said, “Here I am. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:5, 8 NCV)
Isaiah, like us, needs purging prior to representing and sharing God with others. We just do.
The Apostle Paul said it this way; “If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation. The old things have gone; everything is made new!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NCV) Isaiah had been made new.
If you are a Christ follower, what is new about you? What old things have gone away? What ways do you see yourself differently? How do you see God, Christ and The Holy Spirit in your new state? What is different in how you love, forgive and show mercy and grace to others?
In short, how have you grown as you have encountered God, Christ and The Holy Spirit?
For me, the more clearly I see God, I’m more insignificant and humbled. The more I see Jesus Christ - how he died for my sins while I sin, I’m more thankful. The more I see The Holy Spirit helping me as I flounder - I call on him much more, knowing I need his help.
There is nothing like it. Like Isaiah, my life has been forever changed. And I hope it keeps changing to be more like Christ.
LORD, help us worship and respect you as Lord of Lords. Help me imagine Jesus dying for my sins as I am in the midst of my own sin. Who does that? Who loves like that? No one but you. Thank you a thousand times. IJNIP amen ♥️
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