Isaiah 6:1-8
My Story
One of my favorite hymns is “Holy, Holy, Holy”:
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Who was, and is, and evermore shall be.
Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in power, in love and purity.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
I love this hymn because it reminds us that God is holy, set apart from everything else. God is different from everything else in our universe. He is the Creator, and the only One who is holy. I am most reminded of God’s holiness during communion and during Holy week. It is in those times when we remember and celebrate Jesus’ death on the cross that I think most about God’s holiness. God is the only One who was willing to die for us. Most of us cannot imagine dying for someone else, unless that someone is perhaps your child. But we are all God’s children and so God showed His love by dying for each of us. What a holy thing to do!
Your Story
When are you most reminded of God’s holiness? Is it when the world is quiet and you are walking through nature? Or is it when you watch your children sleep? Talk to your family about the times when you think about God’s holiness most.
The Bible Story
Read Isaiah 6:1-8. From the NLT: It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. They were calling out to each other,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!
The whole earth is filled with his glory!”
Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke. Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar 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.” Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.”
Discussion
• Talk about how Isaiah must have felt to be in the presence of God. Why did he say that he was doomed?
• Talk about how Isaiah’s sins were forgiven. Talk about how our sins are forgiven so that we can be in the presence of God.
• What does it mean that God is holy? Ask your children about times when they have been amazed by/in awe of God.
Action and Prayer
• Isaiah doesn’t stay where he is. After God forgives him for his sins, Isaiah is willing to go be God’s messenger. In the same way, God doesn’t want us to stay where we are. What is God calling you to do this week?
• Praise God that God is perfect. Praise God for all of His amazing creations. Thank God for loving us no matter what. Praise God for being holy.
Jessica Asbell is currently serving as the Minister to Children at First Baptist Church of Roswell, GA. She has worked with children in various capacities at several churches, including Winter Park Baptist in Wilmington, NC, First Baptist of Decatur, GA, and Highland Hills Baptist in Macon, GA. She has a Master of Divinity from McAfee School of Theology and a BBA from Mercer University. In her spare time she loves to read, watch movies, and of course spend time with her sweet kitty, Lucy.
