January 4, 2019
Isaiah 6:1-5 Contemporary English Version (CEV)
As Christ’s followers, we may casually speak about the love of God we have received in salvation. Divine love is made available because God who is love makes his abiding presence available within us. We have become his temple. But, today let’s take just a minute to look deeper at this love of God. It is a holy love; pure and self-giving. God’s love is perfect and powerful. God’s love changes hearts and lives. God’s love mends broken and wounded souls. When we recognize God’s love for us, we are different by even one touch. Nothing compares to the holy love of God for his people. He’s the Creator Father and down deep we know it. We also know we fall terribly short of sharing the very love to others that God has imparted to us.
On this fourth day of the new year, let’s not only pay attention to our love walk with God and people, let’s pay attention to our attitudes about the holiness of God and our great need for him to work his love in our own lives to make us more like Jesus. The prophet Isaiah understood this reality when he had a vision of the Lord. All of a sudden he realize an exalted reality of God—loving, holy, and all powerful, thereby causing the heavenly beings to hide their eyes and bodies—and that revelation made him also take another look at himself as God’s child or offspring. What was Isaiah’s response?
Isaiah 6:1-5 A Vision of the Lord in the Temple
6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I had a vision of the Lord. He was on his throne high above, and his robe filled the temple. 2 Flaming creatures with six wings each were flying over him. They covered their faces with two of their wings and their bodies with two more. They used the other two wings for flying, 3 as they shouted,
“Holy, holy, holy,
Lord All-Powerful!
The earth is filled
with your glory.”
4 As they shouted, the doorposts of the temple shook, and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 Then I cried out, “I’m doomed! Everything I say is sinful, and so are the words of everyone around me. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord All-Powerful.”
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your Word that sheds a light before me about your great love and presence. You are holy love and only you can impart holy love to me. I have no way to love the way you do apart from grace. Please help me share a purer measure of your love with others today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.