Pam's Perambulation

A Vision of the Lord in the Temple

6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I had a vision of the Lord. He was on his throne high above, and his robe filled the temple. ² Flaming creatures with six wings each were flying over him. They covered their faces with two of their wings and their bodies with two more. They used the other two wings for flying, ³ as they shouted,

⁴ As they shouted, the doorposts of the temple shook, and the temple was filled with smoke. ⁵ Then I cried out, “I’m doomed! Everything I say is sinful, and so are the words of everyone around me. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord All-Powerful.”

⁶ One of the flaming creatures flew over to me with a burning coal that it had taken from the altar with a pair of metal tongs. ⁷ It touched my lips with the hot coal and said, “This has touched your lips. Your sins are forgiven, and you are no longer guilty.”

⁸ After this, I heard the Lord ask, “Is there anyone I can send? Will someone go for us?”

“I’ll go,” I answered. “Send me!”

Isaiah hears those immortal words,

Is there anyone I can send?  Who will go?

and he replies,

I will.

Wow!  Hearing the call of God in your life is awesome, in the truest sense of the word, and it is very scary.

When I first heard the call to Itinerant Ministry, I came up with all kinds of excuses.  I tried to run and hide, I offered God a whole string of things I was quite happy to do instead, I suggested a list of people who would be very good at it…  I was quite content with what I was doing.  I was a stay at home mum with plenty to keep me occupied and plenty of time to do useful things in the church.  But that was no longer what God was asking of me.

God was needing someone to go, and he asked me.

When I was procrastinating over God’s call to me, someone gave me this.  They knew nothing of my thoughts (sorry, but I’ve had it so long, I no longer know who wrote it, if anyone does, please let me know and I’ll credit it)

Who us?

And the Lord said, “Go!”

And we said, “Who us?”

And he said, “Yes, you”.

And we said, “But we’re not ready yet

And there’s company coming.

And we can’t leave the kids,

And you know there is no-one to take our place.”

And he said, “You’re stalling”.

Again the Lord said, “Go”.

And we said, “But we don’t want to”.

And we said, “Listen, we’re not that kind of people

                                                To get involved so deeply, besides

Our family wouldn’t like it.

And what will the neighbours think?”

And he said, “Baloney”.

And yet a third time the Lord said, “Go!”

And we said, “Do we have to?”

And he said, “Do you love me?”

And we said, “Look, we’re scared.

                                                People are going to reject us.

And cut us up into little pieces.

And we can’t take it all by ourselves.”

And he said, “Where do you think I’ll be?”

And the Lord said, “Go!”

And we sighed, “Here we are Lord, send us”

I don’t know what God may be asking you to go and do for him today.  It may be full-time ministry, or it might be something completely different – but you know.

God is saying to you,

This is what I need, will you do it?

How will you answer him?

Here I am Lord.

I hear what you’re saying –

but I’m not sure I want to!

Are you sure you mean me?

Surely there’s someone else?

Better equipped?

More suitable?

You really mean me?

Definitely?

Absolutely?

I’ll go for you,

I trust you to take me

and equip me.

I place myself at your disposal.

I hear your call –

I’ll go.

~ by pamjw on May 28, 2012.

Posted in God, Lectionary
Tags: answer, call, going, Isaiah 6: 1-8