Tuesday, May 12, 2009

What I'm learning

At lifgroup,  we're reading through the book "crazy love" by Francis Chan.  We're doing a chapter a week, and I'm on the first chapter.  Although I think the book is good, I think I've learned more from the scripture that he references in the book.  The whole first chapter is about being in awe of God.  In the book he tells you to take a minute and read Isaiah 6....so I did.  I feel like after reading Isaiah 6 I've just been wacked over the head with a frying pan.  I now (not fully) understand what worshipping God should be like.  Isaiah 6:2 says: "Seraphim stood above him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew."   It goes on to describe what Isaiah saw and felt in the throne room of God.  But this verse stuck out to me the most.  Because when John describes basically the same instance, he never describes seeing the face of God.  And the Israelites hid themselves whenever God passed through their camp because they were to afraid to look at Him...They thought they would die if they saw God.  Isaiah does say that he saw the Lord seated on His throne,  but even Isaiah doesn't describe the face of God.  And later in the 6th chapter it talks about God talking to Isaiah, but it says "Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying Whom shall i send, and whom will go for Us?"  To me this indicates that Isaiah couldn't see God's face because it says he heard the voice of God.  Maybe Isaiah was laying prostrate at this point??  I thought, what if the reason the Seraphim are covering their faces with wings is because they know they can't look at God.  What if the reason they cover their feet, and use the other two wings to fly is because they know that the very ground beneath them is holy ground and they dare not even step on the same ground that God Himself is on.  I feel like whenever I approach God from now on, I will think about worshiping Him in this way...Unworthy to even be talking to Him or standing in His presence....with unclean lips.  God, forgive me for ever coming to you without reverence! Thank you for cleansing my lips with the burning coal, and taking away my sin!