Entering the Presence of God

"And one called to another and said,

'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;

the whole earth is full of his glory!'

And the foundations of the threshold shook at the voice of him who called,

and the house was filled with smoke.

And I said, 'Woe is me!  For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips,

and I dwell in the midst of a people with unclean lips,

for my eyes have seen the King,

the Lord of hosts!" 

Isa. 6: 3-5

This morning I awoke very early after a good night's sleep.  I have been so tired after Christmas!  In all of my years of education, I have felt this tiredness often.  As a semester ends, I discovered a reoccurring pattern.  After the major assignment was completed, I had about 48 hours to get everything done before I crashed.  When I crashed, it took about three or four days of constant sleep and tiredness before I began to feel better.  I would feel completely brain dead and lifeless.  This current tiredness has felt the same!

I do not know why I had this type of letdown/crash this week, but I have had it.  It was so good to wake up this morning with a clear and active mind.  I came downstairs and enjoyed a warm house (it is very warm in Maine this morning), so I did not have to remake the fire.  Instead, I got a cup of coffee and began to meet with the Living God.

What happened?  First, I got out my journal and recorded the thoughts I woke up with this morning.  I know if I do not write them down quickly, I will forget!

I was thinking, in my sleep, about what would I like to write about for the next year.  Then I thought, I have been writing about it already!  Instantly a theme for all of the writing and thinking I have been doing for the past seven months jumped into my head: I am interested in personal and corporate revival!  I love this topic.  I already have materials that I have been working on about this topic.

Then I thought of my neglected website, www.authenticgrace.com.  I picked up this domain and parked a brief web presence on it because I loved the domain name.  Then I pictured this site with pages full of resources for personal renewal, corporate renewal, spiritual warfare, leadership development, and church leadership.  I could see it all so clearly.

Then I woke up.  

As I finished writing these ideas in my journal, I opened the word of God and began to pray.  For years I have doubted whether the Lord could use someone like me for His work.  I still do.  I asked for His wisdom and strength and guidance.  I asked as Moses did in Psalm 90, "Establish the work of our hands.  Yes, establish the work of our hands."  

I then read in the later Psalms David's cries for God to protect him from the schemes of evil men.  I read of the times David was helped.  I thought of those exact same experiences in my life.  I thanked the Lord.  I felt a washing of His Spirit and a renewed joy, peace, and hope (Rom. 15:13).  

Then I turned in Isaiah to this passage.  At times in my life, I have felt like Isaiah as I entered into the Lord's presence.  "I am undone."  I felt this way initially as I came into the Kingdom by faith.  As I cried out for mercy, God radically changed me.  Jesus entered my life and gave me great joy and hope!

Then I remembered my years in the desert.  I remember how I spent so much time without this understanding.  What do I mean?  After I had walked with the Lord for several years, I began to take the Lord for granted.  I knew of His love and presence, but I became content.  I was a "good Christian" but not a loving and growing believer!  I had great and a growing knowledge of scripture and theology, but I lost the humility of coming into His presence.

What happened?  I became a candidate for revival and renewal!  Through life and the calling of the Spirit, the Lord led me to a place of repentance.  For what?  Horrible outward sins?  No.  I had put many of these behind me.  God led me to repentance for my self-centered and self-focused heart that rejected the living God.  He led me to see His holiness and my sinfulness.  

Such a recognition is always the first step toward real revival!

I was undone.  I cried out for mercy and God gave it!  How?  Through Jesus Christ the lover of sinners like me.  The one whose blood wet the alter and made possible renewed hope from God.  As Isaiah puts it,

"Then one of the seraphim flew to me,

having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the alter.

And he touched my mouth and said: 

'Behold, this had touched your lips;

your guilt is taken away,

and your sin atoned for.'"

Isaiah 6: 6-7

Friends, revival and renewal is constantly available.  It is not something that only happens once.  It is found in repentance and humility which lead us to cry out before God, "Have mercy on me a sinner!"  Such a prayer, Jesus always answers.

Take some time today to quiet yourself before the Living God.  Open His word to Isaiah chapter six.  Ask Him to give a glimpse of His holiness (most likely you will not be able to stand much more than a glimpse!).  Ask Him to show you the love of Christ for you which removes guilt and atones for sin.

May you enjoy His presence and may you be filled with joy, peace, and hope!