Isaiah 6

Isaiah 6:5 NIV

"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty."

This chapter has two parts but both parts build on one concept; that is brokeness. The first part of the chapter is Isaiah's call to ministry. It begins with brokeness, moves to cleansing and ends with a willingness to serve. The brokeness is not primarily centered on Isaiah's sin, nor on the consequences of his sin. His brokeness comes from an encounter with God. His sin is foundational to his brokeness. He cries out, ""I am ruined! I am a man of unclean lips..." But how own uncleaness is revealed not by facing his sin, but by his encounter with God. It is the person of God at the center of Isaiah's personal brokeness.

Our own sin and uncleaness can look pretty clean by comparison when our standard is that of the world, or the holiness of those around us. Cleaness is a relative term to some extent. A house that most would consider spotless might be considered grossly unclean compared to an operating room. We like to think of ourselves as pretty good and our tendency is to look at others to prove it. But, when we come face to face with the Holy One we see what holiness really is and with Isaiah we fall on our faces.

Brokeness leads to cleansing. In the second part of the chapter God talks about the hardheartedness of his people. They will not listen and they will therefore be broken. By God's grace and because of God's promises however, they will one day be restored. God is faithful to his word even when we are not faithful. He will faithfully discipline and break us for our own good. Brokeness leads to cleansing which then results in reflecting God's glory.

I don't like the brokeness part but I am convinced that true repentance, true submission, true ministry rarely if ever comes without brokeness. Father, thank you for your faithfulness in my life to work through brokeness to ministry for your glory. You are faithful.

By His grace,
Rick Weinert
District Superintendent
EFCA Northern Mtn District