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Day 242 Isaiah 6:1 In the year King Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him who cried, and the house filled with smoke. 5 Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the middle of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. 6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he took with the tongs from off the altar: 7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged. 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. 9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. 10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and are healed. 11 Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities lay waste without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land is utterly desolate, 12 And the LORD has removed men far away, and there is a great forsaking in the middle of the land. 13 But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a strong tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so, the holy seed shall be the substance thereof. What causes you to stop and pay attention to someone other than yourself? What is your first reaction? When Isaiah saw heaven opened, God sitting on the throne, and the angels worshiping Him, his first reaction was one of unworthiness. It took an angel with a burning coal from the altar of incense to purge the filth from his life and make him worthy to stand before God. Then when God asked who would go to the countries of the world for Him, Isaiah was ready and said he would go. As discussed, prayer is communication between God and man. You see the angels worshiping God and proclaiming His holiness. You see Isaiah’s reaction and the answer. You see a question and Isaiah’s immediate response. As Christians, prayer needs to be a two-way conversation between you and God. You can’t mumble a short prayer and then go on your way without waiting for the answer. In Isaiah’s case, God answered immediately by sending an angel to purge Isaiah’s mouth. Isaiah was then ready to do what God wanted from him. What do you need to purge from your life? What is God asking you to do for His kingdom? Are you ready to go wherever God directs? Many Christians say they will do whatever God asks of them, but they don’t take the steps to get ready. You know the idiom, whom God calls, God equips. Isaiah needed God to equip him for the task. He sent an angel to purge his mouth. Have you taken stock of your life? What do you need to change to be ready for the work God called you to do? How is your speech? What words come readily to your tongue? Do you need to clean up your mouth before anyone would believe you’re a Christian? When God called Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, Moses told God his mouth wasn’t ready. Exodus 4:10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since You have spoken unto Your servant: but I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue. 11 And the LORD said unto him, Who made man’s mouth? Or who makes the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I the LORD? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you will say. Jesus told the disciples not to worry about what to say when they stood before their accusers. Luke 12:11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what you will answer, or what you will say: 12 For the Holy Ghost will teach you in the same hour what you ought to say. Many Christians want to know the extent of their service to God. Isaiah did too. God told him until the cities lay waste, houses were uninhabited, and the land was desolate. How long are you willing to work for God? Being a Christian is a lifelong service to God. When you answer His call, you are telling Him you are willing to work as long as it takes. You’re in it for the long haul. Before you open your mouth and commit to something, you need to pray, ask questions, and then do what Isaiah did, tell God, Here I am, send me. Let’s pray: Father, more often than not, my mouth goes ahead of my thoughts and prayers. I want to do Your will. Purge me of everything that will nullify my claim that I am Your child. Equip me for the task and lead me where You would send me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 10 February 2022 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay.