Friday 6th February

Quiet your heart and mind. Consider breathing deeply and exhale slowly. Speak out who God is for you right now.

“Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me."

Psalm 66:16

Ponder: What breath prayer do you often repeat? A breath prayer is a Bible phrase that helps you focus on God in the moment. You intentionally speak this phrase to remind yourself that God is God and He is here.

Scripture

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with 6 wings: With 2 wings they covered their faces, with 2 they covered their feet, and with 2 they were flying. And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
    the whole earth is full of his glory."
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
 “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."
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."
 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!"

Isaiah 6:1-8

What do you know about this person’s situation when they are praying this? What does this prayer mean for the person praying? What phrase in their prayer stands out for you? Can this be a breath prayer for you?

Before calling, encounter

Many of us have asked God, "What is my calling?" and received only silence in reply. We feel that we pray, yet He does not answer. But what if His silence is an invitation to prioritise something we have not yet realised?

Isaiah had a personal encounter with the Lord that transformed his life (Isaiah 6:1). Such an experience is only possible when we dedicate ourselves to seeking true intimacy with God through prayer. When Isaiah saw the Lord in all His glory and holiness—and this was only possible because he already had intimacy with Him—was that when God showed him what his calling, his mission? Was it? No! It was, in fact, when God showed Isaiah who he was. He made Isaiah see himself (Isaiah 6:5).

Encountering the holy God reveals who He is and who we are. His holiness convicts us of our sin, not to condemn us, but to redeem us (1 John 1:9). Before God can use us, He must break and purify us. Before we are sent out into the world, we are confronted. Isaiah was stripped of his ideas, his sense of righteousness and his titles, leaving only a contrite heart. However, the Lord purified Isaiah and transformed his impurities, giving him a new awareness of God's call to service (v. 8).

When we are close to God, He helps us to see ourselves and realise that we cannot fulfil His calling without first being transformed. If you already have a relationship with God and have allowed Him to reveal your true self to you and begin your transformation, continue to be attentive and prayerful, listening to the Lord.

When we are close to God, He helps us to see ourselves and realise that we cannot fulfil His calling without first being transformed. If you have a relationship with God and have allowed Him to show you who you are and begin your transformation, remain attentive and prayerful, listening to the Lord.

In verse 8, God asks the prophet, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' He then waited for Isaiah's response before revealing His will. It was only after Isaiah's response that God revealed His will and sent him (Isaiah 6:9a). God appears to us, forgives us, relates to us, purifies us, transforms us, calls us and then sends us. If you are seeking your calling, stop seeking a mission. Seek the encounter.

Adriana Guarneri Stoelben

Now ask God who you can pray this prayer for. What part of this prayer could you pray for them? You might want to say, “Father, please help [name] understand…."

Kids’ Question: What are three characteristics that describe what God is like?