By David Faust

If you strike a tuning fork and hold it near another tuning fork—even when the forks don’t touch—vibrations will pass through the air and the second tuning fork will make the same sound as the first one. Christ is our middle C. We need him to set the tone. The prophet’s encounter with God in Isaiah 6 suggests four prayers that set the right tone in our lives.

Lord, Lift Our Eyes

Isaiah received his vision “in the year that King Uzziah died” (Isaiah 6:1). For us this would be like saying “in the year President Kennedy was assassinated” or “when 9/11 happened.” It’s unnerving when a longtime leader dies. Uzziah reigned as king for 52 years. His death destabilized the nation and probably caused many of the Jews to worry that their country might fall apart. Right then Isaiah “saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne” (v. 1).

The king died, but the throne that mattered most remained occupied. Even in times of confusion and chaos, God is still on his throne. “‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory’” (v. 3).

Lord, Humble Our Hearts

Isaiah felt unworthy in God’s holy presence. The prophet cried out, “Woe is me! . . . I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips” (v. 5). Ironically Isaiah was probably one of the most righteous people alive at that time, but his righteousness was nothing compared to God’s. When we see who God is, we see ourselves for who we really are. Bright light exposes dirt. God’s holiness reveals our unholiness.

We proudly look in the mirror and say, “Whoa, it’s me!” when we should say, “Woe is me!” King Uzziah illustrated the importance of humility. “As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success. . . . But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall”
(2 Chronicles 26:5, 16).

Lord, Forgive Our Sins

Isaiah felt imperfect and helpless, but God didn’t leave him in that condition. One of the seraphim took a burning coal from the altar (which in Old Testament times would have been soaked in blood), and pressed the fiery coal against Isaiah’s “unclean” lips. That must have really hurt! But God’s gracious message was, “Your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for’” (vv. 6, 7).

Centuries after Isaiah, the blood-soaked cross of Christ became God’s tool to forgive us. Jesus paid it all. As followers of Christ, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Lord, Send Us to Serve

Isaiah told the Lord, “‘Here am I. Send me’” (v. 8). God made him clean; now it was time for him to serve. He wasn’t disqualified because previously he had been a “man of unclean lips.” The Lord called for volunteers and Isaiah stepped forward. Because he was willing to serve, Isaiah was privileged to write glorious words about the Messiah’s virgin birth (7:14) and predict that the Lamb of God would be “pierced for our transgressions” (53:5).

What will happen if we let the call of God set the tone for our lives? What if each of us will simply say, “Here am I—send me”?

David Faust serves as the Associate Minister at East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Based on International Sunday School Lesson, © 2013, by the Lesson Committee. Scripture quotations are from the New International Version ©2011, unless otherwise indicated.

As you apply today’s Scripture study to everyday life, read Engage Your Faith by David Faust and the correlating Evaluation Questions.