Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-05-12

/ that God is not doing 1t to hurt you, but
to remove the uncleanness, to take away
the thing In you that is causing him pain,
to clear up your disabilities that he may
use you in his service.
HIS CALL AND COMMISSION.
Not until God had given him a vision
of Himselg and of himself, and prepared
him, did he call Isaiah. Then the call
comes, Whom shall send, and who will
go for us? Why two questions? Is God
repeating himself? No. Two were
necessary The first is Gods choice; the
second is mans. God never sends a man
whom he has not chosen, nor man who
has not chosen to go. Jonah was a pos
sible exception at first, but later he chose
to do as God wanted. God VIII send, aft
er you have chosen. If he has called you,
too, but he'll not force you against your
will
That vision was enough for Isaiah,
though. The work of representing God
before these prosperous. luxurious, proud
people of Judah and Israel was not an
easy task; but God had called, and i'm
mediately Isaiah answered, Here am I,
send me.
What a strange commission He gave
himi Israel and Judah needed God more
than aught else; we would have sup
posed that God would have sent him out
TO win them back to Himself, and given
him authority to work wonders to this
end But how Different The effect of
Isaiah's preaching, because of their pre-
vious hardening of hearts against Gods
messengers, was to increase their reJec-
ton of him. Their hearts would be
made fatter. their ears duller, their eyes
DINNER Discouraging outlook for Isaiah
was 1t not?
This made him cry out Lord, the end
or this? And the answer was stranger
stilI-until everything has gone to the
dogs! Even If 1.-THE should be left, 1t
also should be burnedl
Branches, limbs, leaves, twigs, were to
be Topped off the tree-it was to be the
termination of Isaiah's service.
POSSESSION.
Discouraging as the commission was,
there was a closing note full of promise
and encouragement. The stock of the
tree should be left, from which the new
and glorious Israel would spring.
1 havein my yard an oak tree that has
interested me greatly. 1t was crowded.
and was crowding others. l hated to cut
it down entirely, so last year l had it
sawed off about eight feet from the
ground, expecting to use 1t as support
for a climbing vine. Not twig was on
it. Just the stock But the twigs have
sprouted from it this spring until it now
looks like an open umbrella, and bids
fair to be a beautiful tree again. The
stock was stripped. but It was vital. The
stock of Israel was to be stripped by
Isaiah's ork, but, ultimately, the stock
would burst out into new and glorious
Israel. Isaiah's work might be discourag-
ing, but encouragement was in store.
My friend, these are necessary steps in
your call to service-a vision of God, a.
vision of yourself, the Divine endow-
ment; then comes the call and your an
swer is expected. Your commission may
be as hare as Isaiah's, but keep heart,
possession is in store.
Are you, teacher discouraged that
your work seems fruitless? Possible It Is
the vision you needl Possible you are
contaminated and need the live coal on
the tender spot to straighten out your
crookedness and cover over your misses.
Be not discouraged, the end is glorious;
possession shall be yours. Isaiah spoke of
a salvation that was to come through
purging judgment. Possibly that is the
only way it can come to you now; If so,
welcome the purging.
oh! for the visions and the endearment
for each of US that we may serve Him