I will not forget you! See I have engraved you on
the palms of My hands. Isaiah 49:15-16
Last Sunday I heard a powerful and moving sermon from Dr. Earl Cooper on Isaiah’s vision of God’s holiness, taken from Isaiah 6:1-8. Holiness that, far too often I have taken lightly and often for granted. Here is the Scripture . . .
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne: and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings:
With two wings they covered their faces, with two wings they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. “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!”
Pastor Earl brought the Holy Spirit in among us with such clarity and meaning about the righteous holiness of God. Even the Seraphim, who never knew sin, recognized God’s holiness by covering their eyes and their feet while praising Him with words.
Yet here I am, such a filthy rag of unclean lips, having been given everlasting life because Jesus paid the price for my sinfulness. His life for mine! Washing away my filth, grime, and foul mouth. Sacrificing His holy blood to cover my wretched sinfulness, which in turn, washed me whiter than snow!
Never has there been a more unworthy Saint (His name for me, and others who have accepted His gift of forgiveness) nor is there a more appreciative one. I feel so loved; so forgiven; so accepted; so filled with hope and joy, with peace beyond measure.
Ponder Jesus righteousness. His sacrificial death for you on that bleak Good Friday as He gave His life for you. Then celebrate His resurrection from the grave, and partake of His gift of everlasting life.
Ponder His holiness. Recognize how dearly He paid for your sin and the choice this gives you when your earthly life is over. Not because you are holy or worthy or do good deeds, but because His holiness covers your sin, which makes Him the worthy One.
Let His holiness touch your lips as it did for Isaiah. Your ransom has been paid, so repent, be washed in His righteous blood – then say to Him as Isaiah did . . . Here Am I, Send Me!