Isaiah 6:1-8 (NRSV)
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple.
Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.
And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory."
The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke.
And I said: "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!"
Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs.
The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: "Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out."
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!"
The call of Isaiah is a personal favorite because in it we find a pattern for Christian worship that has stood the test of time. It’s a movement that is echoed in thousands of churches around the world every week when they gather for a service of worship:
We come into God’s presence (v. 1)
We lift God up and celebrate his glory (vv. 2-4)
We are made aware of our own sinfulness (v. 5)
We receive God’s forgiving touch (vv. 6-7)
We hear the word of the Lord inviting us into his kingdom purposes (v. 8)
It is important to note, however, that Isaiah is not simply brought into God’s presence in order to celebrate God’s presence. There is a deeper purpose to what is happening here—Isaiah is being brought into this worshipful space in order to be commissioned for service. He is transformed by God in order to be used by God. He hears the word…he responds…and he is sent.
That is something we forget at our peril.
Worship is, was, and always will be about God, not us. It is about the worthiness (“worth-ship” being the origin of the word) of God to receive all glory, honor, and praise. That is true. But what is also true is that worship changes us and equips us. It aligns us with God and his purposes. That’s what happens to Isaiah, as we see in the very next verse: “And he said, "Go and say to this people: 'Keep listening, but do not comprehend; keep looking, but do not understand.'“ (v. 9)
In worship God is lifted up, and then we are sent out.
Thomas Long, in his book “Testimony,” puts it like this:
“Worship is a soundtrack for the rest of life, the words and music and actions of worship inside the sanctuary playing the background as we live our lives outside, in the world. The words of worship are like stones thrown into the pond; they ripple outward in countless concentric circles, finding ever fresh expression in new places in our lives.”
We always need to be on our guard that worship doesn’t become an escape, an excuse to ignore the places in our lives where God would have us go and be about his work. In fact, we need to expand our understanding of worship to see that when we live out his call, we are adding to that “fresh expression” of worship in our lives. As Paul encourages us:
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1, NRSV)
The story doesn’t end with “Here am I, send me!” It continues with, “Go and say to this people…”
Song: “Use Me Lord” by Caleb Andrews
Lyrics: Click here
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Have you ever found yourself using worship as an escape? How can you seek a deeper understanding of the link between living a life of praise and living a life of service to God’s kingdom?
How has God typically led you into opportunities to serve? How does he stir your heart? What practices and experiences help you become more “attuned” to God’s call?
The song includes as a cry to God, “Give me an outlet for love.” Spend some time praying that God would open those outlets in your life and circumstances.