I Saw the Lord - Daily Thoughts about God

“In the year that King Uzziah died, [in a vision] I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up… Then I said , “Woe is me! I am a man of unclean lips…” Then I heard God say, “Who will go for me?”… And I said, “Here I am. Send me.” Isaiah 6 (Amplified Bible)

A group of curious people came to one of Jesus’ followers and basically asked, “Introduce us to Jesus. We want to meet Him, to see Him…” Lyrics to a popular Christian song include these words: “We want to see Jesus lifted high, a banner that flies across the land…”

But I wonder, do we really want to see Jesus? Not the somewhat sanitized artistic renderings of Jesus, but as He is “high and lifted up” on a throne with royal robes that seem to billow through an entire temple? It was in the midst of political turmoil that Isaiah saw the Lord on His throne. Enemies were attacking from outside; religious faithfulness was ebbing on the inside. God was about to ask Isaiah to faithfully follow Him into the arena where God would powerfully speak through him.

But first Isaiah had to see the holy God and his unholy self. God would use Isaiah in powerful ways but he first needed to acknowledge his sinfulness and be touched with God’s powerful cleansing.

Not much has changed today. No matter the country or situation in which you live, God is looking for people who will—in the midst of turmoil—seriously seek Him, acknowledge their need of Him, receive His forgiveness and respond to His call.

Father, I would rather wait until the circumstances are right, or when I feel “ready” to answer your call. Sometimes I’m even afraid to look into your face, to see you on a throne because I don’t feel prepared to answer your call. Help me see you, to hear you, to repent before you, to follow you.

How is God calling you? Into what situation is He asking you to step? How will looking at Him in new ways prepare you for the task?

By Marilyn Ehle