Oh, no! Oh, yes! – May 27, 2024
I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two 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 seraphs 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
Oh, no! Oh, yes!
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Have you ever been afraid because something was bigger than you? Isaiah saw something bigger than a big brother, more powerful than a rodeo bull, and more unstoppable than a freight train. He saw the Almighty Lord sitting on a high throne.
Angels, called seraphs, were flying around God’s throne and let Isaiah know who he was seeing. They were calling to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”
Isaiah didn’t join in—he was terrified! The temple began to shake and filled with smoke. God was not only bigger than he was, but Isaiah experienced how holy God was and how not holy he was. In that moment he yelled out, “Oh, no!”
Have your lips proved that you aren’t holy? Talking back to an adult is a sin. Saying unkind words shows that you don’t love perfectly. The sassy tone in your voice reveals the disobedience in your heart. “Oh, no! I am ruined” is what we must say before our holy God, too!
Isaiah’s eyes must have opened wide when one of the seraphs flew toward him with a hot coal. Was God going to punish him by burning his lips? No! The coal that touched Isaiah’s lips came from the altar where sacrifices took place. The Holy Lord is also the loving Lord who delights in forgiving sinners.
Most likely, your church has an altar too. There is a good chance that your church has a cross above it as a reminder of Jesus’ sacrifice. The Holy Son of God was punished for your unholiness so that you never will be punished. Through faith, Jesus’ holiness is now your holiness.
Not only did God forgive Isaiah, but the Lord had some special work for Isaiah. He heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Isaiah didn’t shout in fear, “Oh, no!” instead, in joyful confidence, he responded with, “Oh, yes!” “Here am I send me!”
Now, it’s your turn. You have been given Jesus’ love and know his forgiveness. “Who will go for God?” May you respond, “Oh, yes! Send me!”
Closing Prayer:
Holy Lord, we deserve nothing from you, but in Jesus, you have given us everything. Thank you for forgiving our sins and washing away our guilt. Use us as your voices in this world to share the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit with others. Here we are, Lord. Send us. Amen.
The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.
Questions for Younger Children
- What do you think an angel looks like? How does today’s devotion describe them?
- What does it mean to be holy?
Questions for Elementary Age Children
- Why do you think the angels said “holy” three times?
- How did the angel help Isaiah understand that his sins were taken away?
Questions for Middle School and Above
- The angels shouted, “The whole earth is full of God’s glory.” How is the whole earth full of God’s glory?
- What does it mean that our sins are atoned for?
