Altar Call | Week 13 | Week’s Passage: Isaiah 6
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God’s Provision
Have you had life experiences where God’s provision is undeniable?
The writer gives a story of him and his wife’s faith in God’s provision when purchasing a home. Despite their real estate agent’s reluctance to show them a bank-owned house that had been on the market for years, they insisted on seeing it. Though the house was in poor condition, they felt it was the right one. Trusting in God, they made an offer, and to everyone’s surprise, the bank accepted it within a week. At the closing meeting, the husband led a prayer of thanksgiving and shared Christian literature with those present, acknowledging God’s miraculous work. The experience emphasizes the importance of faith and boldly sharing God’s goodness with others.
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A Turning Point
The prophet Isaiah served as God’s messenger to Judah for nearly 60 years during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. His ministry began around 740 B.C., during a pivotal time when Assyria was rising as a threat. In Isaiah 6, Isaiah had a life-changing vision of God’s majesty in the temple, where he felt unworthy due to his sinfulness. God, in His mercy, cleansed Isaiah’s lips through a seraphim, removing his guilt and sin. Isaiah then willingly accepted God’s call to be His messenger, saying, “Here am I! Send me.”
God revealed that Isaiah’s mission would involve delivering warnings to a people who would largely ignore them. Yet, the message wasn’t entirely grim, as God promised a remnant would remain, ensuring the lineage from which the Messiah, Jesus, would come. This reflects God’s grace, justice, and faithfulness to His promises.
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Called to God
The writer through a story highlights the transformative power of God’s call and the importance of both personal and collective worship. The author reflects on meeting people whose lives were changed through their father’s evangelism decades earlier, emphasizing how responding to God’s call can have a lasting impact.
In Isaiah 6, Isaiah encounters God during temple worship. Overwhelmed by God’s holiness, he acknowledges his unworthiness and sinfulness. Ellen White notes Isaiah’s genuine humility as he recognized the stark contrast between human imperfection and God’s divine character. God’s grace is displayed when a seraphim purges Isaiah’s sin, equipping him for his mission. Only after cleansing Isaiah does God ask who will go, and Isaiah responds, “Here am I! Send me.”
The narrative encourages believers to prioritize worship and devotion, both individually and in community, as it prepares them for God’s call to mission and ministry.
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The Blessing of His presence
Isaiah’s worship in chapter 6 offers profound lessons. The angels’ worship focused solely on God’s holiness and character, reminding us that true worship centers on Him rather than our own needs. Their simplicity without elaborate words or displays emphasizes that heartfelt, humble worship is what God desires.
In His presence, Isaiah was cleansed, forgiven, and given his mission, showing that worship is transformative. It’s at our personal and collective altars that we find renewal, guidance, and purpose as God meets us there.
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A Divine Appointment
Isaiah’s vision of God’s holiness in the temple revealed his own sinfulness and the sinfulness of Israel. When a live coal touched his lips, cleansing him, Isaiah was ready to carry God’s message, assured that God’s Spirit would empower him despite the hardness of the people’s hearts.
This parallels the disciples’ transformation. Chosen from humble beginnings, they learned from Jesus, gaining boldness and wisdom to preach His resurrection after His death. Their faith and connection with Christ enabled them to stand fearlessly before authorities, defending the truth with power that even their adversaries could not refute. Both Isaiah and the disciples demonstrate that God equips and empowers those He calls to fulfill His mission.
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- When in your life have you felt an overwhelming sense of God’s presence?
- God’s holiness left Isaiah feeling “undone,” which is also translated as “ruined,” “lost,” and “doomed” (Isa. 6:5). How does God’s holiness impact you?
- Why must we be purified before we’re ready to go on God’s missions?
- If God knows everything, why did He ask Isaiah, “Whom shall I send?”
- How does true worship provide a sense of purpose and mission?
