Dangerous Prayers: Send Me! Series

“Ascribe to the Lord, O mighty ones, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord, the glory due His name, worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.” (Psalm 29:1-2)

His holiness, his glory, his love, his justice fills the whole earth.

The blazing truth of His righteousness drove the seraphs to praise and worship. The throne was surrounded by angelic beings shouting and singing God’s praises. The doorpost and the threshold shook and the temple was filled with smoke representing God’s power and presence.

Isaiah had a genuine encounter with the living God. He had a genuine experience with the presence of God.

He also experienced a genuine awareness of his sinfulness.

“Woe to me!” I cried. I am ruined! For I am a man with unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:5)

When I was a junior in high school, I wanted to try out for the jazz band. I fancied myself a good guitarist and coveted attention I would receive if I got the gig.

A friend of mine was also going to try out and began asking me if I like the Pentatonic scale as much as the Ionic. He also asked me if I had trouble with jazz progressions. I had never even heard of these chords. He got out his guitar and began to play.

I was stunned. I cried “Woe is me!” Needless to say, I did not try out for the jazz band, and I thanked Mike for saving me from certain embarrassment. When I compared my skills against his, I was aware of my obvious shortcomings.

You might think you’re a pretty good golfer but play around with Tiger. You might think that you are a pretty good artist but compare yourself to Rembrandt.

Standing in the presence of God, Isaiah became painfully aware of his how far short he fell. He understand his own sinfulness.

What did Isaiah feel? Doom. He felt complete and utter failure. Basking in the light of God’s glory was too much for him. It drove him to despair. How did Isaiah respond?

Instead of wow, he cried, “Woe is me!” The prophet who had been pronouncing woe on everyone else now is faced with the hopelessness of his own desperation. Seeing the purity, the holiness, the majesty of God overwhelmed him and he actually pronounced a curse upon himself. He is doomed.

Luke tells us that after fishing all night Jesus asked Peter to try it one more time. Peter humors the Master, puts out into deep water, and lets down the net. They had such a tremendous catch that the boat started to sink. But Peter was not concerned about the boat or the fish. Scripture says,

“When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus feet and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man.’” (Luke 5:8).

The writer of Hebrews quoted Moses,

“ For the Lord your God is a consuming fire.” (Deuteronomy 4:24; Hebrews 12:29)

“For I am a man of unclean lips.” Interestingly, Isaiah sense of conviction centers on his mouth. As a prophet, his mouth was his ministry. Out of his mouth came the pronouncements of God.

He recognizes the awesome responsibility he has to proclaim God’s words and how unworthy he was to do such a holy thing.