Sunday, October 14, 2007

October 14, 2007

Good Sunday morning! So often we begin to think that some sin or other, or the sum total of the sins that immediately come to mind, is somehow greater than God can forgive and forget. Perhaps we forget just who our God is, but we become depressed remembering and writhing in shame over the sins that the accuser parades through our mind. This morning I read in the sixth chapter of Isaiah about his vision of God in Heaven on His throne. I noted, after however many times that I have read this, something kind of new. This vision has an example of how powerful and gentle is our Lord's forgiveness.
Then one of the seraphim flew over to the altar, and he picked up a burning coal with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, "See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven."

We read here of how a seraphim touched Isaiah's lips with a hot coal, yet he was not burned but forgiven, a gentle touch. But wait! What is that we always read over? The seraphim, a being powerful enough to fly while in the presence of God, used a pair of tongs to take the coal from the altar! The seraphim are described as mighty earlier in the passage, yet they need tongs to grab God's coals. How powerful is the forgiveness of God! We see that so often, sometimes to the point of taking it for granted, the power and gentleness of God displayed as one.

Praise God for His strength and gentleness,

Bucky

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