Verse of the Day 9/24

Through the Bible - Isaiah 4-6, Galatians 5   Good morning, A friend of mine recently recommended that I read a book by 20th century pastor and theologian Helmut Thielicke, "Our Heavenly Father".  It is a series of sermons on the Lord's prayer.   In the introduction to the book I read the following statement from him, "The Word of God with it's law and gospel is "like a starshell that lights up my life and shows it to be the valley of the shadow of death and also reveals the contours of "the hills from which cometh my help (Psalm 121)."  It is a thought provoking statement and one that can help open our eyes and bring us to (or back to) reality.   Today's Old Testament reading in Isaiah brings us to Isaiah 6 one of my favorite chapters in the O.T.  In it the prophet describes the feeling in the kingdom and in his own heart. The kingdom of Judah had gone through 52 years under Uzziah, a time of growth and prosperity.  With his death, many feared what was happen.  It is here that God revealed Himself and His glory to the prophet.   Isa 6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.   NKJV In Isaiah 5, the prophet gave us a view of the spiritual condition of the nation with the 7 "woe is me statements".   The vision that he saw in chapter six was his "starshell" that revealed the condition of his own heart as well.    Isa 6:5-"Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts."    NKJV Instead of despair, it led him to dedicate himself to follow God, and be His messenger to a nation, a world that" would hear but not understand and see but not perceive". Isa 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."    NKJV What has the Word of God been revealing to you as it shines on your life?  How will he respond if He calls you to service or ministry? In Christ, Mike Isa 6:1-11 Isaiah Called to Be a Prophet(cf. Ezek 1:4-28) 6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;The whole earth is full of His glory!" 4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone!Because I am a man of unclean lips,And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;For my eyes have seen the King,The Lord of hosts." 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips;Your iniquity is taken away,And your sin purged." 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send,And who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me." 9 And He said, "Go, and tell this people: 'Keep on hearing, but do not understand;Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' 10 "Make the heart of this people dull,And their ears heavy,And shut their eyes;Lest they see with their eyes,And hear with their ears,And understand with their heart,And return and be healed." NKJV