From Rest, We Are Sent (Selah Part 6)
Isaiah’s Encounter with God
One of the most powerful truths we can live from is this: God calls us to partner with Him from a place of rest, not for it. This rest isn't just physical—it's spiritual, emotional, and deeply rooted in our identity as people who have been with God. Through the story of Isaiah in chapter 6 and a parallel encounter in Luke 5 with Peter, we see how encountering God transforms us, prepares us, and sends us.
A Time of Loss, A Place of Encounter
Isaiah begins his story with a marker of personal loss: “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord…” (Isaiah 6:1, ESV). This wasn’t just a timestamp. Isaiah had been closely tied to Uzziah—possibly even related—and had likely looked up to him spiritually and politically. Uzziah’s death, after years of leprosy and separation, marked a turning point. For Isaiah, the loss exposed the need to encounter God directly, to own his faith personally rather than through someone else.
Sometimes, what needs to die in us isn’t a person but a belief, a comfort, or a dependency. It’s in these places of grief and transition that God often reveals Himself most clearly.
Seeking God to See God
Isaiah was in the temple, actively seeking God in worship when he had this vision. Scripture affirms this promise in Matthew 7:7-8 (ESV):
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."
Whether in solitude or with others, consistent seeking opens our eyes to the glory of God.
A Revelation of His Majesty
In Isaiah’s vision, seraphim cry out,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3, ESV).
This isn't just theological poetry—it’s an earth-shaking reality. Isaiah saw God high and lifted up, and that moment left him marked forever. Personal encounters with God, big or small, change how we see everything.
Exalting God in Response
True encounters with God stir worship. Exalting God magnifies His presence in our lives—not because He becomes bigger, but because our awareness of Him does. Exaltation anchors our experiences and helps make them last. It turns encounters into lifestyle.
Exposed in the Presence of Holiness
Isaiah responds to this vision by crying,
“Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips…” (Isaiah 6:5, ESV).
When we truly see God, we also see ourselves—our sin, our need, our humanity. Yet this exposure isn’t to shame us; it’s to prepare us for healing. Humility grows when we realize that we need God—and that everyone around us does too.
Atonement Through a Holy Touch
Then comes the miracle. A seraph touches Isaiah’s lips with a burning coal and says,
“Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” (Isaiah 6:7, ESV)
This holy act prefigures what Jesus would later do for us. Just as the coal purified Isaiah, Jesus took on our sin and shame so we could be made clean (see 2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV). Our guilt is not ignored—it’s absorbed by a Savior who loves us deeply.
An Invitation to Be Sent
Once Isaiah is cleansed, he hears a question from heaven:
“Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” (Isaiah 6:8, ESV)
This isn’t a demand—it’s an invitation. And Isaiah responds, “Here I am! Send me.”
God doesn’t call us to mission without first calling us to Himself. From the intimacy of encounter comes the clarity of assignment.
Obedience From a Place of Rest
Isaiah’s "yes" wasn’t the end—it was the beginning of a journey full of challenges. But it was a “yes” rooted in rest and redemption, not striving. This posture allows us to endure, to serve, and to shine without burning out.
Peter’s story in Luke 5 echoes this same progression. From hearing Jesus teach, to witnessing the miraculous catch of fish, to falling at His feet in confession, and finally being told, “From now on you will be catching men” (Luke 5:10, ESV)—Peter is called after being transformed. He leaves everything and follows Jesus.
We Work From Rest, Not For It
Genesis reminds us that humanity’s first full day was the Sabbath. Adam and Eve began life not with work, but with rest. God worked, and then invited humanity into rest—into delight, relationship, and trust.
“And on the seventh day God finished His work that He had done, and He rested…” (Genesis 2:2, ESV)
Our lives begin in God’s rest and flow from it. We are not made to strive, but to abide. And from abiding, we are sent.
Reflection Questions
What are the "training wheels" or dependencies in your life that might be keeping you from seeing God clearly?
How can you practically make space in your daily life to seek and see God more fully?
What “assignment” might God be inviting you into right now—and what would it look like to respond from a place of rest?
Let’s be people who are sent from rest, not working for it. In the quiet place of God’s presence, our identity is confirmed, our sin is removed, and our mission becomes clear. May we all have the courage to say, "Here I am. Send me."