“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Devotion based on Isaiah 6:5-8

Isaiah was given an incredible glimpse into the throne room of God. He saw God surrounded by angels—perfect beings created to serve God. These angels had the power and purity to carry out God’s commands flawlessly. Wouldn’t it make sense for God to use these holy creatures to carry his message of forgiveness?

Contrast them with Isaiah. His guilt and sin were magnified in the presence of the Almighty God. He knew that because of his sin, he deserved to die.

Why would God choose someone like Isaiah instead of one of his perfect angels? God delights in using weak, ordinary people to carry out his extraordinary plans. By doing so, he reveals his power and grace, showing it is his work, not ours, that brings about his purposes.

Like Isaiah, we may feel unworthy or unqualified to be God’s messengers. We know our sins, our weaknesses, and our failures. It’s tempting to think, “Wouldn’t an angel do a better job?” But God, in his wisdom, has chosen us. God doesn’t call the qualified; he qualifies the called.

Isaiah’s cleansing is a powerful reminder of what God does for each of us. The burning coal that touched Isaiah’s lips symbolizes the forgiveness and purification we receive through Jesus. Just as Isaiah was cleansed and made ready to serve, we, too, are forgiven, restored, and equipped to be God’s messengers.

Prayer:

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.