In Isaiah 6, the prophet doesn't just see a vision. He gets caught up in one, experiencing a glimpse of the majesty of God.
In his vision, angels attend to the Lord. And they worship God. The atmosphere of their worship moves Isaiah. Initially, he's overcome with guilt. "I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips," he confessed. Then one of the angels flew to him, bringing a live coal to his lips.
Some of our English translations may not capture exactly what the angel tells Isaiah. "Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out." That reads like a courtroom verdict. But the angel isn't just delivering a message. He was awakening a calling within Isaiah. What we might miss is how much the angel wants to get Isaiah's attention. The Message Bible offers one word that better communicates this: Look.
Isaiah was to look what God had done. Look how grace reaches down even to the dirtiest of us. If he would look, he would see even more how glorious the Lord is. And Isaiah noticed.
He tells us the next thing that happened: he eavesdropped on God. He heard the Lord say, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?"
Now, the text doesn't mention that God notices Isaiah. So, like the angel grabbed his attention, the prophet wants to get God's attention. "Here I am," he said. This majestic God would have no trouble locating the prophet. But I see Isaiah waving his hands in the air like a stranded driver flagging down help from oncoming traffic. Like needing help on the side of the road, Isaiah needs God to know he is ready. His experience of God's presence and mercy moved him in a way he couldn't ignore.
Through his vision, mercy didn’t just cleanse Isaiah, it called him. And that same mercy is reaching for you. Are you waving your arms enough to get God's attention?
Stay blessed...john | 
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