“WOE IS ME!”

Isaiah 6:1-7                                            (ESV)

“1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of HIS robe filled the temple.

2 Above HIM stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two HE covered HIS face, and with two HE covered HIS feet, and with two HE flew.

3 And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of HIS glory!" 

4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of HIM who called, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 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 of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the KING, the LORD of hosts!"

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar.

7 And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for."”

There is a growing number of devotionals in my unused file that I use occasionally, especially when I am running behind in my daily routine.  Because of me awaking late this morning I was inclined to draw from the well of past lessons ALMIGHTY GOD has used to mold me.  Until I saw this from a friend.  He wrote “I am more surprised GOD saved me than I am HE saved Kanye West.  I am the worst sinner I know.”  That is when I caused to adjust my SIGHT to what GOD SEES when HE examines me?!?

In Isaiah 6, the writer writes “WOE IS ME”! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips”.....!  It is worth noting that Isaiah didn’t begin by writing that everyone around him had unclean lips, rather he wrote “WOE IS ME”!  Now I’m not a prophet, a priest, nor even a minister, but GOD so loved me that HE sent JESUS to earth to pay my sin debt.  Can you imagine when Paul was converted he had Doubters and detractors who wanted to SEE PROOF that his fruit was genuine, that he wasn’t trying to tear down, but build up the church?  Paul writes in 1 Timothy 1:15 “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that CHRIST JESUS came into the world to save sinners, OF WHOM I AM THE FOREMOST.”

To say that Kanye West has to prove himself isn’t being mean spirited, but more truthfully realistic!  We ALL have to prove ourselves daily. 2 Timothy 2:15 says “DO YOUR BEST TO PRESENT YOURSELF TO GOD AS ONE APPROVED, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”  The VERY NEXT verse says “But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness”!  

Perhaps I need to be more concerned about cleaning my own mirror and let the HOLY SPIRIT clean my friends mirror?  From personal experience, the cleaner my mirror gets, the BRIGHTER the LIGHT SHINES on the dirt that is left on it.  We are CALLED to help brothers SEE dirt on their mirrors, but we are also called to allow GOD to clean our mirrors as well.  “WOE IS ME” if I fail to SEE my sin while looking at others!!!