Evening journal., 1916-02-04

brought conviction and conversion, so
the vision Of the Lord in the temple
caused Isaiah to exclaim. "Woe is me;
for am undone." We must come 10
this point in our religious experiences
before the Lord can use us. It is in
weakness we are made strong. As
Jehovah said. "When my soul tainted
within me, ! remembered jehovah It
has been well said that the greatest
life in Gods sight is the one that has
the greatest appetite for spiritual
things. This heart hunger can come
only to the soul that appreciates his
own insuhiciency and need.
Let us note also that Isaiah con-
fessed his sins. n is this realization
and admission Of our own undone
condition. that is the secret OF spirit
ual success. Peter, in his failure, re-
.alizing the wisdom and power of Jesus
fell down and exclaimed Depart
from me; for / am a sinful man, 0
Lord Penitently. also the publican
prayed, God, be merciful to me a sim
ner.' Literally he said "The sin
ner.' His deep conviction made him
feel he was the only sinner. No
prayer ascends more speedily to the
throne OF grace and gains more
readily the ear OF God than the one
that opens with confession Of un-
wOrthiness.
Then flew one OF the seraphim unto
me, having a live coal i'm his hand,
which he had taken with the tongs
from off the altar; he touched my
mouth with II. and said. Lo, this hath
touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is
taken away, and thy sin is for
given Why was not the iniquity of
Isaiah taken away long before? Be
cause he had not realized its presence
and his own desperate need IF we
confess our sins, he is faithful and
righteous TO forgive us our sins. and
the cleansing Of our hands and heart
is essential, before we can stand in
His holy place.
Now Isaiah is ready TO hear the
voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall
| send, and who will go for u.s."
Doubtless, often before God had
spoken to him, but his ears had been
heavy with pride and selfish ambition.
so he did not hear the call
The Incident is related Of Jean In
gelow. that one evening some friends
invited her 10 so out with them into
the grove to listen to the song of the
nightinsales. She went. but she was
disappointed and said, Il do not hear
the BIRDS II seemed strange to her
companions, for the music Of the
songsters to them was so distinct
But finally the poet realized the trou-
Bile Fearing the night air. before
she started, she had filled her ears
with cotton.
So IL was with the young prophet
of Jerusalem His heart had not been
receptive to the divine influence. Now
all this is changed, his ear becomes
attentive to the Masters voice. And
In response to the call to action he
answers, Here am /, send me-"
Mark well the steps that brought
Isaiah to the decision. They are the
same steps that each OF us must take
In preparation for Christian service.
He beheld the vision OF his Lord; he
saw in contrast his own unworthi-
ness; then in penitenoe he confessed;
forgiveness followed; his heart was
now ready for the divine message.
and also TO obey. IL was a great work
God had for the young prophet to do.
IL was to be hard and painful mis-
sion. He was to proclaim the Word
Of the Lord to a people that were to
continue to reject his message, and
thereby seal their own doom. But
through his loyalty to his Master, he
was to become an inspiration to the
centuries. and finally TO see Him face
to face, whose fore-glimpse had
wrought the transformation iR his
life.
In closing this chapter let me ask,
How is your life" Have you seen
the true Lord. high and lifted up,
and has that vision taken hold upon
your entire being? Have you gained
the conception of true greatness? or
that kingliness OF character that
found expression in the humility and
service and obedience of the Son OF
Chief among the thousands? Has the
greatness Of His life and death, His
resurrection and exaltation, made you
feel your own unworthiness? Have
YOU come to Him in humble confess
sion, and looked to Him as your only
source of help and inspiration and
guidance? n you have, then you may
be assured all barriers will be broken
down that may have kept you from
entering into life OF full surrender
Then you may be sure He will call
YOU to go with Him into some field
Of service humble and hard it may
be. but no less valuable God grant
that You may hear the Masters voice
as He says. whom shall I send. and
who will go for us?' And like Isaiah.
may you answer. Here am I. o Lord.
send me-"
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