Just as you are!

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated high on throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were Serapis, 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 door posts and the 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 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)

A mesmerising textual picture.

Isaiah, sitting in the temple, being in the presence of God drags up inner feelings of inadequacy in the presence of God. How can God possibly love or use me? He thinks.

Then he experiences the incredible mercy of God as God reminds him with an angel using a red hot live coal straight from the altar that his mercy is real and alive, and forgiveness is assured.

Isaiah accepts Gods incredible mercy immediately responds to Gods challenge to be sent out burning with the Spirit of God.

The thing I love about this most of all is the simple truth that even though Isaiah doesn't feel worthy of being in the presence of God, God accepts him into his presence just as Isaiah is.

God accepts us Just as we are!

Wow, that's massive!

Last Saturday I was invited to speak at a prayer breakfast as part of a number of speakers who people could choose to go and listen to. I got up at 7am, showered, and listlessly got into the car, tapped the post code into the satellite navigation, and pulled out of my driveway and out into the misty early morning. I have done a lot of travelling lately and feel like I need a break to recharge my batteries. I wasn't looking forward to the whole event that lay ahead of me and it was making me feel guilty.

Guilty, because here I was doing what I love to do, sharing the gospel, but wishing I wasn't that morning.

As I got up to speak in the first session after breakfast, I felt a bit unworthy.

Like I shouldn't be doing this.

Especially when I my heart didn't feel in it.

But my experience reminded me That at times like this there is only one thing to do.

Press into God!

So I just pictured God and said a prayer that said something like, "Please help me here Lord!"

And I believe God used me that morning to touch others with his presence.

He really moved!

That is because he accepts me just as I am at any given moment.

At Church on Sunday night the service started with that old worship song, come, now is the time to worship. Another line in that song is, "Come, just as you are to worship." The second song was called, Majesty (The delirious one!) that contained the line, "Your grace has found me just as I am!"

Isaiah sees that truth first hand.

Gods grace found him just as he was.

Whatever state he was in.

Maybe today you are feeling a bit inadequate or unworthy.

Maybe those feelings are preventing you from experiencing the wall-shaking, doorpost-rattling presence of God?

Today, remember that his grace will find you just as you are.

His acceptance is total.

So press into God, whatever you are feeling!

Humongous blessings today!