Isaiah 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.”
Isaiah 6 is regarded as one of the most valuable chapters in the Bible to read and study, as one gets one of the greatest views of God and His heavenly throne room. And one gets to see a man (Isaiah) interact with God that is hard to put into mere words. For instance:
Isaiah will SEE a magnificent sight, seeing the Lord on His throne and seeing a portion of His royal robe
Isaiah will SEE seraphim that surround the throne
Isaiah will HEAR these seraphim worshipping, proclaiming an attribute of God over and over
Isaiah will FEEL unclean because of what he is seeing and hearing.
(A closeness to God has revealed just how unclean he is, and the same will be true for you. The closer you get to God, the more evident your sins become to you.)
Isaiah will SPEAK words with a brokenness, expressing his filthy condition that are heard by God
Isaiah will EXPERIENCE a miraculous cleansing as the result of his confession as a seraphim takes action
Isaiah will HEAR the voice of God as God ponders a need for an earthly spokesperson
Isaiah will SPEAK to God’s need volunteering to be that spokesperson
Isaiah will HEAR God accept his offering of himself and then gives to him his assignment.
What a scene!! And it all begins because Uzziah died. Don’t miss the opening words. It was in the year that King Uzziah died that Isaiah had this defining moment in his life. King Uzziah had reigned for 52 years. (That is over half a century – was in his sixth decade). He became king at 16. While he did become prideful and make a terrible decision to usurp the priest role in 2 Chron. 26 (16 But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense) overall Uzziah was a very good king and his death leaves a void.
For Isaiah, the death of Uzziah was a difficult moment that became a defining moment.
I am thinking you can tell your own story here. I know I can.
While not all difficult moments become defining moments, and not all defining moments come from a difficult moment, it does seem that many of our most important defining moments happen as the result of a difficult situation. Difficult situations usually result in one of three reactions with God. We find ourselves turning ON God or turning AWAY FROM God or turning TO God. What are you presently doing with your difficult moments?
Many times God uses a difficulty to get our total focus on Him. The death of Uzziah directed Isaiah’s attention to SEE the Lord and in seeing the Lord high and lifted up as He sat on His throne he saw that God was totally calm and totally in charge.
How might God be using a tragedy to get your full attention – To see Him – to know Him?
Continue Strong turning to the Lord in difficult moments,
And remember to daily DATE the Word