pearls

A couple of weeks ago, God showed me these verses, right when I needed them most.
I literally 'stumbled' across them, flipping thru my Bible during church one night.
I needed something from God that would calm my heart down.
When I read this passage, I felt that peace that passeth all understanding wash over my soul.
I felt my throat constrict with thankful relief.
It felt like God had written those words, right that second, and just for me. I don't remember them being there any other time I've read Isaiah.
I've wanted to post them ever since, but it felt like they were mine, just for me, and I couldn't share them quite yet. I wanted to hold them close to me. Savor them.
I've run these words through my heart every day, like the way I run my hands over book spines in a bookstore, or the way I caress a beautiful pair of new shoes.
Like the proverbial strand of pearls through my fingers.
But, here they are. You can read them now, and I hope you love them like I do.

Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

~ Isaiah 6:5-8


I love the sequence in those verses.

He's distraught, undone, because of sin,
he is chastened,
his sin is purged,
then he hears the voice of the Lord, (can you just imagine his relief at that?)
and then he is surrendered to God's will for his life.


Beautiful.